It's all very well criticising Sutcliffe's lawyer, but it's her job to look for ways to further her client's interests, even though he may be the dregs of humanity. And this wretched government have presented her with the perfect opportunity - the right of a prisoner to have a tariff set on their period of incarceration, enshrined in article 5 of the European Convention of Human Rights which (as I never tire of telling you lot
) was incorporated into British law by this government.
So how is Jacqui Smith, our bold and fearless Home Secretary, going to deal with this? Is she going to have urgent discussions with Gordon about making the Convention, or at least parts of it, inapplicable under British law? No, that would be far too decisive...instead, she's going to come out with puerile drivel like this, "Top of my list of priorities I have to say is not Peter Sutcliffe's rights, it's the rights of those people who were his victims and how we keep this country safe." How we keep this country safe?? Horses and stable doors spring to mind. I despair...