1 min read
Today has been a good day for cheats having to suffer the consequences of their actions.
First , Dwain Chambers has failed in his bid to make cheating pay. Athletics is struggling to be seen any longer as a fair sport rather than a freak show, and a High Court imposition of Chambers on the British Olympics team would have made things a lot worse.
Secondly, the Charity Commission's report into the Smith Institute is pretty damning, finding against it on most of the charges. Since Gordon Brown is happy to lie to the House of Commons, it should come as little surprise that what is, in effect, his own private think tank should be so cavalier about complying with the law.
As something of a think tank veteran (and having recently been involved in setting up a new one), I know that the laws concerning think tanks which operate as charities are onerous and ought always to be at the front of any director's mind. Onerous, yes; but also pretty clear. It's easy to know where the line should be drawn. And I simply refuse to believe that those involved in the Smith Institute did not know full well that they were crossing it.