Via Spy chief: We risk a police state – Telegraph: Dame Stella [Rimington, ex-head of MI5,] accused ministers of interfering with people’s privacy and playing straight into the hands of terrorists. “Since I have retired I feel more at liberty to be against certain decisions of the Government, especially the […]
Read MorePost Tagged with: "Authoritarianism"
BBC NEWS | Health | Why we need more nannying
The term ‘nanny state’ is not normally used as a compliment. But public health expert Dr Alan Maryon Davis says we need more nannying, not less. via BBC NEWS | Health | Why we need more nannying.
Read MorePolice set to step up hacking of home PCs – Times Online
Via Police set to step up hacking of home PCs – Times Online – digg story: THE Home Office has quietly adopted a new plan to allow police across Britain routinely to hack into people’s personal computers without a warrant. The move, which follows a decision by the European Union’s […]
Read MoreBack to the USSR
From the Guardian: Tanks rolling into neighbouring countries, the media back under state control and Kremlin policy shrouded in secrecy … Luke Harding reports on why Russia seems hellbent on reverting to its Soviet past. … “The Soviet Union had global ambitions. It believed in socialism and social justice. Now […]
Read MorePreston: summary fines for swearing and bad behaviour
Thanks to the Jeremy Vine Show over lunch: Spitting, swearing and aggressive behaviour will be BANNED from ‘Proud Preston’. … Anyone who flouts the tough new code could be arrested or fined by patrolling police officers or council enforcers. Council officers can fine people £75 for offences like littering, while […]
Read MoreBill to allow Commons searches with no warrant — The Independent
From The Independent: The vow by Commons Speaker Michael Martin to prevent “unauthorised” raids on MPs’ offices in the wake of the Damian Green affair was seriously undermined last night as it emerged that the Government is preparing new laws to allow investigators to mount parliamentary searches without a warrant. […]
Read MoreAnger as Mandelson threatens to sue HBOS merger challengers – Sunday Herald
With a hat tip to Graham: SOURCES CLOSE to Alex Salmond last night accused Lord Mandelson of trying to “stack the deck” against those challenging the merger of HBOS with Lloyds TSB after they were threatened with huge legal bills unless they dropped their case. Lawyers acting for Mandelson, the […]
Read MoreFT.com – The police, and the state, are out of control
Opinion from the FT: The police are out of control. So is the government. We can only conjecture as to what possessed the senior officers who raided the homes and parliamentary office of Damian Green, the Conservative immigration spokesman. Yet their disdain for political process spoke eloquently to the authoritarian […]
Read MoreCompelling roadside cafes to offer a healthy choice
From the Telegraph: Roadside ‘greasy spoon’ vans will be forced to close unless they offer healthy alternatives like salads and low fat yogurts. The snack vans, often found in busy lay-bys, must also limit the amount of mayonnaise served – because it has been branded a “very high fat product”. […]
Read MoreDPP: Centuries of British freedoms being ‘broken’ by security state
Well done the Director of Public Prosecutions: Outgoing Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald warned that the expansion of technology by the state into everyday life could create a world future generations “can’t bear”. In his wide-ranging speech, Sir Ken appeared to condemn a series of key Government policies, […]
Read More
