The story about Champley's was broken by News International overnight.
Once again mafia tactics. With the police being accused of playing politics.
What are we to think - that it was coincidence that Neil Wallace was a PR to that company at the time?
It is impossible for us to know apart from the obvious - PR companies are engaged by wealthy companies such as New International. What is acceptable behaviour for public servants, not just the police by across Whitehall? It is ill defined.
As soon as government invites business to bid for the very large contracts that have been opened up since the early years of Thatcher it is inevitable that behind the scenes deals will be made.
Since all of those contracts are hidden behind the cloak of commercial confidentiality and the way in which they are executed is opaque and not available for public inspection we cannot know the extent of the collusion between different parties.
I think this area is very much as serious as the current news.
People should not accept the way in which government, Whitehall and big business divide up public works because people have an interest in being both intelligent, efficient and transparent. Until this begins to happen people will rightly feel that government is working against them and that those who bear the brunt of dishonest practice are the most vulnerable.