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R2Icon
Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:49 am Post subject: Driving like a Huhne |
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Is it fair that Chris Huhne should have to give up his job before he's found Guilty? |
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RockitRon
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:59 am Post subject: |
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No, but the media-led hysteria, which would be used by the Opposition, would probably make his position untenable, and his attention will hardly be on his job while he deals with his defence of the charge.
It's his word against hers, isn't it?
It may be what we all suspect politicians of trying, but unless there is incontrovertible evidence (and where has that been hiding for nine years?) how can he be found guilty? |
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R2Icon
Joined: 10 Sep 2009 Posts: 1444
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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The reason why it's right for Huhne to resign now before his trial is in case he is found Guilty because if he stayed in his job and subsequently is proven to have lied to all of us, it would put a question over all of the decisions he had made in Government in the period leading up to his trial: in effect, we would have had a criminal in the Cabinet- and that would never do. It's the same with John Terry's situation and for a similar reason. |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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I do agree with you Rachel because had it been an ordinary employee like the nurse in Stockport who was accused of and subsequently charged with tampering with medical drugs there would have been no question of anything other than immediate suspension which is what happened in her case
Subsequently the charges against her were dropped but despite that she never got reinstated so why should high profile people be treated differently?
You know the saying - what's good for the goose ...............................
I do however have concerns about yet another example of trial by the tabloid press which seems to be happening in this case and I think we should simply await the outcome of the case without making any assumptions about guilt or innocence _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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I think he should just have been suspended until after the court hearings.
Wasn't it his ex wife who started this all off? If so I bet she wished she had kept her mouth shut since she has been charged too!
H _________________ 88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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FleetingEileenM
Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 5789 Location: Hampshire
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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Yes Helen I think it was his ex-wife who began it but surely she must have realised it could mean that she would be charged as well.
Perhaps she thought it was worth while risking it as she was so furious at being used by him during his election campaign in which he cynically portrayed himself as having a happy marriage and settled home life, before dumping her for his research assistant.
What a mess! |
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Helen May
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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You would have thought so Eileen, but as you said she was very publically betrayed by him during the election.
You wonder where it's all going to end.
H _________________ 88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!
I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005 |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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I think the saying is;
'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'
Or something like that
I had to laugh when one of his Lib Dem colleagues said that he was a man who was good at getting his points across
I suppose a suspension would have been fair but that begs the question as to who would do his job during this period of suspension
I doubt a Junior Minister in the department would be regarded as adequate in such a high profile post so Nick Clegg would have to bring someone in running the risk of having to sack them later if there is a not guilty verdict
Politics is a tough old game and there have been numerous examples over many years of politicians having their careers cut short by scandals which never come to anything
The big winner in all this is Nick Clegg himself because his position is now much less threatened with his main challenger out of the frame _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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ruddlescat wrote: | I do agree with you Rachel because had it been an ordinary employee like the nurse in Stockport who was accused of and subsequently charged with tampering with medical drugs there would have been no question of anything other than immediate suspension which is what happened in her case
Subsequently the charges against her were dropped but despite that she never got reinstated so why should high profile people be treated differently?
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Stepping Hill dismissed the Stockport nurse over her admission that she stole drugs, tramadol, an opiate-based painkiller, from her workplace. _________________ -
John W |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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I understand what you are saying John but as far as I am aware since the original charges were dropped no new charges have been brought and so there is at least the possibility of a claim for unfair dismissal although I say that without knowing all the facts of the case
It begs the question as to why,if there is evidence of theft, fresh charges have not been brought against her
The explanation might be that in a criminal court the case would have to be proved 'beyond reasonable doubt' but in a civil court or tribunal the burden of proof is the lower threshold of 'on the balance of probabilities'although if there is an admission it makes the whole thing very puzzling _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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I think her stealing the drugs was what made her the saline suspect too, she had access etc., so maybe the theft was one of the charges originally. _________________ -
John W |
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ruddlescat
Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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I think the original charge was 'Administering a Noxious Substance' but not theft
Interestingly on North West Tonight it has just been announced that the person concerned lost her appeal against dismissal but I think that was an internal appeal and I think the tribunal option is still open although it might be tricky in view of the 'admission'
Of course I was only mentioning her as an example in order to illustrate my point
Perhaps a better example would be the numerous cases where teachers get suspended for alleged violence or sexual abuse against pupils and in the vast majority of those cases they are proved to be malicious allegations - but of course mud sticks and the teachers concerned often end up having ruined careers and sometimes mental health problems resulting _________________ Are you ready for a Ruddles? |
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Angus McCoatup
Joined: 22 Nov 2007 Posts: 221 Location: , Location, Location
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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Politicians, love 'em or hate 'em are just human beings and they make mistakes like all of us.
Do I condone what he's done? I don't know....I've never done it myself though I can see why he would have done it.
At the risk of being slightly controversial I'm completely against a lot of the so called "motoring offences". 35mph in a 30mph limit is the thickness of your sock inside your shoe on the accelerator pedal for most modern vehicles. It's too easy to creep over the speed limit these days but if you get home without killing anyone on the road there is no crime IMO and you shouldn't have to go through the whole criminalisation process of being fined and having your licence endorsed.
I went on a speed awareness course a few years back and was expecting to see a room full of teenagers in hoodies but instead was greeted by a whole bunch of people in my age group and above (40+) who had taken their eye off the ball for a few seconds and been caught doing just a few miles over the limit.
It's wrong. The same as being fined for not wearing a seatbelt. If you get home without crashing and going through your windscreen then again, no crime. These offences should be judged in retrospect.
The whole "art" of driving has been reduced to a number on a stick. The police and courts could be better employed to deal with the real menaces in our society. Driving is all about reading the road ahead and not about how fast you're going. The road is for cars and the pavements for pedestrians.
When I was at school in the late seventies, two pupils were killed (in separate incidents) on the road outside our school by running across the road without looking. Admittedly in those days, the brakes on cars were literally made of wood and they stood no chance but the lives of the drivers were blighted for ever - as were the families of the victims. Mrs McCoatup and myself don't have kids so I really don't know if road safety is taught in schools these days but I don't see as many road safety ads on TV as I used to back then. |
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becky sharp
Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6851
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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Chris Huhne's ex-wife is to replace John Terry as England Captain - she's apparently very good at taking penalties. |
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FleetingEileenM
Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 5789 Location: Hampshire
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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Becky |
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Toggy
Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 1239
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: Driving like a Huhne |
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R2Icon wrote: | Is it fair that Chris Huhne should have to give up his job before he's found Guilty? |
Yes. |
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