Alan Watkins: Once they have to wheel out the Official Secrets Act, it's the beginning of the end

27th Nov 2005, 02:39 GMT

I t is a safe rule of politics that no prosecution under the Official Secrets Act ever does the government of the day much good. More than this: irrespective of whether it turns out to be successful or not, it either is a sign that the administration in question is on the slide or itself constitutes the beginning of that descent.