Outrage over £30m torture hush money

[minestrone]

Still know more about the law than you and still earn more than you. Suppose that is what happens when a Govan copper breeds.

Honestly, you sound like a ned, boasting about income is very chavy.

I do all right but never boast. Suppose you got that from your ned Dad.

[SupremeSpod]

Speaking if which, has anybody heard from HAB recently?

He's helping MI6 with their "enquiries"...

[minestrone]

What did your dad do?

A manger in a fuel dump?

Hardly middle class, ehh?

[Incognito]

Honestly, you sound like a ned, boasting about income is very chavy.

I'm not boasting about income, I'm stating I earn far more than you with your three degrees. You keep on about my lack of degrees, I keep pointing out the difference in disposable income.

Oh, I think I see what you mean. Evidence HMG would need to provide in court might expose our 'don't ask' position on torture, an illegal act or necessitate that people lie under oath about what they knew. This would be over and above what the tortured suspects know or might say about proceedings. Messy.

But the fact that they don't want this coming out also reinforces the view that what occurred was illegal, which to be honest I thought was clear cut under UK law (even if it is still practised covertly) and under the Geneva convention.

I think our policy on "don't ask" is in the public sphere anyway. I think they're more concerned about identifying how they go about gathering intelligence both here in the UK and abroad. Any information that terrorists can obtain on how to evade surveillance is bad.

I'm not arguing whether or not what occurred was illegal, I'm simply arguing whether there is enough of a smoking gun to tie HMG in with what was happening. There will also be an element of political sensitivity about it as well.

[minestrone]

Yet you never argue against your dad being a ned.

[AtW]

I think they're more concerned about identifying how they go about gathering intelligence both here in the UK and abroad.

You are spot on about this - they don't want courts to know that torture was used to gather intelligence.

People settle for 3 reasons:

1) they don't have resources to last long term legal battle
2) they are bribed to withdraw otherwise rightful claim
3) they are guilty and prefer to pay off rather than to lose in court (and go to jail)

IMHO, it is shocking that criminal cases can be settled for money - it is not in public's interest to allow responsible Govt figures to get away with what looks to be pretty serious crimes.

[minestrone]

I'm not boasting about income, I'm stating I earn far more than you with your three degrees. You keep on about my lack of degrees, I keep pointing out the difference in disposable income.

Mate, I seriously doubt you earn more than me on a day to day income. I am an architect with the IBs.

[Incognito]

Yet you never argue against your dad being a ned.

Why should I, the fact that you attack my family just shows that I get to you. I wouldn't lower myself to your level.

[Incognito]

Mate, I seriously doubt you earn more than me on a day to day income. I am an architect with the IBs.

You're not my mate and I'm not telling you what I do.

[TimberWolf]

IMHO, it is shocking that criminal cases can be settled for money - it is not in public's interest to allow responsible Govt figures to get away with what looks to be pretty serious crimes.

I agree, it would be a price worth paying to divulge some probably useless intelligence information to see Blair and Milliband stand trial.