Is this familiar face off the hook?
I bumped into a familiar face at the Irish Embassy's traditional Christmas bash last night - , the businessman at the centre of the row last year when it was discovered that he'd given around Β£600,000 to the Labour Party through anonymous donors, thereby getting round the law on openness when it comes to donations to political parties.
Having spotted Mr Abrahams in the distance at another party on Monday night I was curious as to what had happened to the police investigation into his case - and indeed a similar story which dominated politics at the start of this year - the Peter Hain funding affair. Police passed the two cases to the Crown Prosecution Service last June and July respectively, but since then we've heard not a cheep from the CPS. Had the cases been quietly dropped? I wondered.
No. The two cases are "still under review", a CPS spokesman told me this morning, but he couldn't give me any guidance as to when the CPS might come to a decision on whether to prosecute.
Mr Abrahams seemed strategically placed in the centre of the room last night, where people would hardly fail to spot him. And he seemed in a pretty good mood last night, and it wasn't just the excellent Guinness and food provided by our Irish hosts. He claims that the police told his solicitor last March that he was "exonerated". And indeed when I rang his solicitor Louis Charalambous, this morning, he confirmed to me: "He will not face prosecution".
But that, of course, still leaves in the frame. He's the Labour Party General Secretary who approved the Abrahams donations, should have known what the law was, and who resigned over the affair.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 3rd Dec 2008, leftieoddbod wrote:do Abrahams and Mendelson know each other? I sense a disaster approaching of scandalous proportions. I have not a jot of evidence, but types like Abrahams are too much for Mandy to resist....it's only a matter of time...
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 3rd Dec 2008, barriesingleton wrote:SOME ARE MORE EQUAL UNDER THE LAW (#1)
I think we have all become used to the 'no case to answer' and the 'independent' enquiry, that always finds in favour of the instigator. I call this corruption. Not the crude sort that those awful foreigners indulge in, but woven so finely into the fabric of our culture, that the 'cloth' actually feels finer to the ordinary citizen - until they have a serious brush with it.
We need a hero.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 3rd Dec 2008, barriesingleton wrote:THE 10p MORTGAGE!
Gordon's 'deferred interest' has a '10p' feel to it. If it has come from the same genius for bum maths, that gave us the abolition of !0p tax - at least the evicted will be able to warm themselves when crash-and-burn arrives.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 3rd Dec 2008, mikemadf wrote:Of course Mr Abraham' was innocent.
Giving money to Labour is always open and above board and a good thing.
Any suggestion otherwise and the anti terrorist squad will search your house and take away your computer and charge you under common law for impugning the good name of the Labour Party.
And then find nothing but smear you with leaks "no smoke without fire" etc..
Any similarity to the arrest of Mr Green is a smear and liable to prosecution for smearing the good name of the police.
And you think I joke?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 4th Dec 2008, the-real-truth wrote:Two cases were passed to the CPS, the CPS says two cases are 'still under review'.
On the other hand Mr Abrahams solicitor says that Mr Abrahams has been cleared and will not be prosecuted...
Michael - don't you think there is something to investigate here?
Maybe you could find a mole in the CPS to tell you why the information that you received and the information that Mr Abrahams solicitor says he received seems so very different...
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 4th Dec 2008, JeremyP wrote:More to the point, has he got his money back from Gorgon Brown?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 4th Dec 2008, GingerMatter wrote:The CPS take action against 'the bruvvers'? Are you lot mad?
Haven't you sussed it yet? The whole system is politicised by ZaNu labour plants. The police, the prosecution service, the judiciary, the education system, the health care system, the immigration system, the prison service, et al.
Nobody who is inline with the 'message' can possibly be found guilty of any misdemeanour or crime. It is simply impossible.
The whole rotten apple has to be cut out at the core or NOTHING changes.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 4th Dec 2008, bookhimdano wrote:Its good to have friends?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)