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Article: The Government used to seek legal advice to stay inside the law. Now it brazenly uses it to bury bad news and hide inconvenient truths.(Features)
- Article from:
- Daily Mail (London)
- Article date:
- June 18, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: by Richard Waghorne
IN the political repertoire, excuses for inaction are almost infinite. The classic is to set up a committee. The trendier alternative is to 'consult with the stakeholders'. Commissioning a report from outside consultants, preferably one that will take a couple of years to complete, was a particular favourite in the Bertie Ahern era. Yet there is a new and alarming phrase that crops up increasingly whenever something suspicious is afoot - 'on legal advice'.
Of course, all Govs ernments are constrained by what the lawyers whisper in their ears. But the frequency and occasional absurdity with which the legal advice excuse is ...