As I sat watching the Channel 4 interview with Jim Devine MP, one of the four politicians charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) with theft, it felt as if I were watching a car crash in slow motion. While Devine dug himself further into the pit that Krishnan Guru-Muthhy was laying out for him the lawyer in me kept shouting at the television, "Jim, for Christ sake do yourself a favour and shut up". You could see that even the Channel 4 news presenter was suprised at how much Devine was laying himself open to. The whole time I kept thinking that I could imagine officials from the CPS hoping that someone in the office had set their Sky+ to record the whole thing which could end up being used as evidence in the upcoming case.
The revealing interview left me contemplating three things. Firstly what in the hell did Devine think he was doing? If you are going to give an interview you think it would be an idea to prepare for what the questions would be and work out what message you want to get across. Secondly if this man is as naive as he is making out how did he get elected in the first place? I cannot believe that the electorate of Livingston would vote for a donkey if it had a red rosette on it so Devine must have some other star qualities that he wasn't displaying in the interview. Thirdly Devine looks like a scapegoat to take the pressure off the 52% of MPs who have also been less than honourable in their expenses claims. It is very clear that Labour is hanging him out to dry and for all that parties claims of worker solidarity it is a pretty sad affair.
So if you'd like to see the Devine interview again just click on this link but get the popcorn out first, it's a cracker.
