Officials accused of cover-up in Cherie Blair verdict

Published on Saturday 19 June 2010 20:35

SENIOR judicial officials have been accused of trying to cover up the findings of a top-level inquiry which examined comments by Cherie Blair as she spared a violent criminal jail.

The National Secular Society (NSS) made a formal complaint after she told a Muslim he would not go to jail because he was a "religious person".

Blair made her comments as she sat as a part-time judge at Inner London Crown Court, and these were considered by Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clarke and Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge.

A statement released by the Office of Judicial Complaints (OJC) said her actions "did not constitute judicial misconduct" and "no disciplinary action is necessary", suggesting Blair had been cleared.

But a letter sent directly to the NSS marked "restricted – personal" said Lord Judge and Clarke ruled the complaint was partly upheld and "expressed some concern" about the impact of her comments. It also said Blair would receive "informal advice" from a more senior judge about her comments, but this was not a "formal disciplinary sanction".

Keith Porteous Wood, who leads the NSS, said:"It is worrying that a decision made by the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice should be so deliberately concealed in this way. What happened to justice being seen to be done?"

Questions were raised after Blair told Shamso Miah he would not go to prison after breaking a man's jaw during a row over queue-jumping in a bank "based on the fact you are a religious person".

An OJC spokeswoman said: "Having looked again at the letter sent to the complainant in this matter, which openly outlined the actions taken in response to the complaint made, we agree the difference between disciplinary sanction and informal advice was not clearly explained. We will ensure this is made clear in future."