today

David Jones, the Shadow Welsh minister, took the opportunity to ask a question about the Smith Institute. He blogs that it is "the registered charity that appears to have virtually set up headquarters in 11 Downing Street... Surprisingly – or not, whichever way you care to look at it - Gordon didn’t answer himself. He left it to his deputy, Stephen Timms, Financial Secretary to the Treasury. I suggested that it was odd that No. 11’s householder was apparently unwilling to answer to the House over his domestic arrangements. Timms is a nice, straightforward man and seemed uncomfortable to be asked the question, so he simply didn’t answer it. And so we say farewell to Chancellor Brown. Next time he is at the dispatch box he will be Prime Minister. But I doubt that he has heard the last of the Smith affair."

IMO: There is also the problem that the present "Government" will try to legislate it's way out of its own frauds. The Guido initiated Charity Commission investigation is a statutory process, subject to judicial review. It won't be easy to sweep things under the carpet, but politicians being what they are, Gordon Brown is likely to try. Maybe there should be a new law "No legislation without representation" - or proper taxpayer's votes on any more laws, with a particular consideration for those who suffer from legal changes, like registered charities and those connected with any charity. Many say the new Charity legislation is too secular, I prefer the term "self-serving"and a way to help politicans commit fraud, some comments on the legislation here.