Dear All
Here is the Transcript of STV Interview with Lawyer Matthew Berlow – Thursday 11 Feb 2010 (Part 1)
http://video.stv.tv/bc/news-100211-berlowiv/
What this interview clearly shows is the how much of a hypocrite Iain Gray and the Labour Party have been in trying to use a criminal case for party political advantage against Nicola Sturgeon in the run up to the Westminster General Election.
I speak my mind, not everyone likes what I have to say but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be said.
If SNP MSP Nicola Sturgeon was in the wrong, I would not have supported her.
In the case of Abdul Rauf, she has acted in good faith and appropriately, she done her job.
It was what she has been elected to do by the people of Govan.
So, judge for yourself as Matthew Berlow, Abdul Rauf’s lawyer gives an independent third party perspective.
STV interviewer - When did you first become aware of the letter from Nicola Sturgeon and how did that come about as far as you're aware?
Matthew Berlow - We first became aware of the letter when it was shown to us by the client.
STV - And is this something that would happen fairly often?
MB - Yes we get character references all the time, very often in my experience from MPs, it's not a new thing.
STV - Of all parties?
MB - Of all parties, yes.
STV - In this case, are you surprised by how much controversy it seems to have caused?
MB - I'm very surprised, it seems like a mundane, everyday thing to me, and I think perhaps people are trying to make political capital out of this.
STV - In your experience, does it have any impact on things like sentencing, who the author of these letters is?
MB - Not particularly. The Sheriff will take various matters into account in relation to deciding what the sentence should be in any particular case. Character references are taken into account, as are other matters, for example health difficulties and other mitigating factors.
STV - So if you're saying that it's not uncommon for people to get letters from MPs and MSPs of all parties, why has it never been a big issue until now?
MB - It's a big issue now, because I think we're coming up to elections. People are trying to make political capital of it. All Nicola Sturgeon has done, is do her job as this guy's MSP.
STV - Did your client tell you anything about how he came to get Ms Sturgeon involved?
MB - No, he simply gave us this letter from Nicola Sturgeon. I didn't think anything about it at the time. We get character reference letters from clients all the time.
STV - In terms of this case, obviously people will be wondering whether the letter was written purely as his constituency MSP or whether it was done because she has the position in the cabinet?
MB - No, let's be quite clear about this. Everyone has done their job here. We've done our job in handing this letter up to the Sheriff, because we have to do everything we can to represent our client to the best of our ability. So handing up this letter was part of our duties. Nicola Sturgeon has done her duty as this guy's MSP. I think in this situation, although she's Deputy First Minister, she wasn't wearing the hat of Deputy First Minister when she wrote this letter. She was this guy's MSP, so she's ticked that box and fulfilled her duty. The Sheriff will fulfil his duty in deciding what the appropriate sentence is here. He won't be swayed by the fact that this character reference letter happens to be written by the Deputy First Minister.
After reading this, you can only conclude that the Iain Gray and Labour Party are the ones who have acted in an unprofessional and disgraceful manner.
They have attempted to sway the opinion of a Sheriff deliberating on a case prior to sentencing and conclusion of a criminal case.
Labour MSP Iain Gray is unfit to be in public office.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Here is the Transcript of STV Interview with Lawyer Matthew Berlow – Thursday 11 Feb 2010 (Part 1)
http://video.stv.tv/bc/news-100211-berlowiv/
What this interview clearly shows is the how much of a hypocrite Iain Gray and the Labour Party have been in trying to use a criminal case for party political advantage against Nicola Sturgeon in the run up to the Westminster General Election.
I speak my mind, not everyone likes what I have to say but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be said.
If SNP MSP Nicola Sturgeon was in the wrong, I would not have supported her.
In the case of Abdul Rauf, she has acted in good faith and appropriately, she done her job.
It was what she has been elected to do by the people of Govan.
So, judge for yourself as Matthew Berlow, Abdul Rauf’s lawyer gives an independent third party perspective.
STV interviewer - When did you first become aware of the letter from Nicola Sturgeon and how did that come about as far as you're aware?
Matthew Berlow - We first became aware of the letter when it was shown to us by the client.
STV - And is this something that would happen fairly often?
MB - Yes we get character references all the time, very often in my experience from MPs, it's not a new thing.
STV - Of all parties?
MB - Of all parties, yes.
STV - In this case, are you surprised by how much controversy it seems to have caused?
MB - I'm very surprised, it seems like a mundane, everyday thing to me, and I think perhaps people are trying to make political capital out of this.
STV - In your experience, does it have any impact on things like sentencing, who the author of these letters is?
MB - Not particularly. The Sheriff will take various matters into account in relation to deciding what the sentence should be in any particular case. Character references are taken into account, as are other matters, for example health difficulties and other mitigating factors.
STV - So if you're saying that it's not uncommon for people to get letters from MPs and MSPs of all parties, why has it never been a big issue until now?
MB - It's a big issue now, because I think we're coming up to elections. People are trying to make political capital of it. All Nicola Sturgeon has done, is do her job as this guy's MSP.
STV - Did your client tell you anything about how he came to get Ms Sturgeon involved?
MB - No, he simply gave us this letter from Nicola Sturgeon. I didn't think anything about it at the time. We get character reference letters from clients all the time.
STV - In terms of this case, obviously people will be wondering whether the letter was written purely as his constituency MSP or whether it was done because she has the position in the cabinet?
MB - No, let's be quite clear about this. Everyone has done their job here. We've done our job in handing this letter up to the Sheriff, because we have to do everything we can to represent our client to the best of our ability. So handing up this letter was part of our duties. Nicola Sturgeon has done her duty as this guy's MSP. I think in this situation, although she's Deputy First Minister, she wasn't wearing the hat of Deputy First Minister when she wrote this letter. She was this guy's MSP, so she's ticked that box and fulfilled her duty. The Sheriff will fulfil his duty in deciding what the appropriate sentence is here. He won't be swayed by the fact that this character reference letter happens to be written by the Deputy First Minister.
After reading this, you can only conclude that the Iain Gray and Labour Party are the ones who have acted in an unprofessional and disgraceful manner.
They have attempted to sway the opinion of a Sheriff deliberating on a case prior to sentencing and conclusion of a criminal case.
Labour MSP Iain Gray is unfit to be in public office.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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