|
|||||
|
The German police, it seems are every bit as concerned about protecting the welfare of you and I as the British bobby, so it seems according to this article. Good to know that in an age where we are threatened with global terror, soaring violent crime and property crime, police have such important things to do. June 26th, 2003 | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)
 The head of civil rights group Liberty, John Wadham, is to take a top job in the new organisation investigating complaints against police. He is to be a deputy chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The IPCC, which will replace the existing Police Complaints Authority next April, is designed to improve transparency because for the first time civilians will investigate allegations made against the police, rather than inquiries being conducted by other officers. June 26th, 2003 | Comments are closed
Or is the headline France satisfied with EU deal on farm subsidies somewhat worrying? If it was “France absolutely livid about EU deal on farm subsides”, then we might be getting somewhere. However, that doesn’t seem to be something we ever see. If France was absolutely livid, there wouldn’t be a deal. (via Eldan). June 26th, 2003 | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)
It looks as if I am going to be a ‘talking head’ on UK satellite TV tonight. I have been asked to appear on the ‘Richard Littlejohn Show’ to discuss the case of a train driver who has been expelled from his Trade Union because of his membership of the British National Party. In other words, it’s ‘freedom of association’ stuff. The show will be broadcast live at 8.00pm UK time on the Sky News Channel. June 26th, 2003 | 13 comments - (Comments are closed)
Telegraph reports that civil liberties campaigners accused the Government last night of compiling a national DNA database “by stealth” as police prepared to enter the two millionth profile into the system. Police powers to keep DNA samples have been strengthened considerably since 2001 when they were first allowed to keep the information indefinitely from suspects who were not convicted. The new Criminal Justice Bill now before Parliament extends this rule to people who are arrested but never charged. David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, said the importance of DNA profiling to criminal detection outweighed the civil liberties objections.
That would be fine, no one disputes the usefulness of advanced technology in crime detection. The problem is, as Gareth Crossman, a spokesman for Liberty, points out:
If you have any doubt about the government’s intention – the new Health Secretary, John Reid, plans to ask the genetics watchdog to consider the case for DNA screening of every newborn baby. All in the best possible taste, of course…  June 26th, 2003 | Comments are closed
Sir Denis Thatcher, husband of Baroness Thatcher has died peacefully this morning in a hospital in London. He was 88. You know what they say, behind every great man, there is a great woman. Well, behind the great woman of the British politics in the 80s was this great man… Update: Here is obituary published in the Guardian. June 26th, 2003 | 40 comments - (Comments are closed)
European Union agriculture ministers have agreed radical reforms to the controversial system of paying subsidies to farmers. They promise to slash the monstrous bill of 43bn euro ($50) that EU countries’ taxpayers have to foot in order to subsidise ehem…French… ehem… farmers. EU farm commissioner Franz Fischler, who first proposed the reforms, said the accord marked “the start of a new era” and would fundamentally change the 45-year old Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Is this encouraging? We do not think so. And neither does the BBC. Shock, horror. Cast your eye over the deal and note it has as many (loop)holes as Swiss cheese (which, by the way, is produced without EU subsidies). I would like to draw your attention to the point 3.
So the end of EUcrats meddling in agriculture in nowhere in sight. The ‘reform’ is merely a cosmetic rejuggling of CAP’s inefficiencies and vast bureaucracy induced by the wide-spread criticism of the policy for distorting global trade and hurting poor countries. The subsidies have been the key sticking point in agreeing the next round of global trade talks directly opposing the EU child-like and visionary drive for ‘global influence’ as a counterpart to the US. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.
Guess who said that? Gerd Sonnleitner, head of Germany’s farmers union. He got that right but I doubt he will see the light on the other side of the EU fence.  June 26th, 2003 | 11 comments - (Comments are closed)
I have heard of ‘co-operating with the police’ before but never with quite this degree of enthusiasm:
They actually have one of those?
And Mr.Sullivan went further:
But if all that is not enough to leave a queasy feeling in your innards, try this:
Perhaps they’re expecting to find something like this:
Or perhaps they are just keeping a beady eye open for those suspicious antique Staffordshire teapots. [My thanks to Dr.Chris Tame of the Libertarian Alliance for the link.] June 26th, 2003 | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)
A gaggle of envoys from the European Union were in Washington today where President Bush presented them with a list of his demands. They are as follows: 1. Stop trying to get in my way The envoys said that they had never been so insulted. Mr.Bush told them that they should come to Washington more often. June 26th, 2003 | 12 comments - (Comments are closed)
Simon Davies of Privacy International organised an event this evening here in London in order to honour George Orwell and hoist a drink or three to one of England’s greatest writers on the occasion of his birthday.  Now I know a lot of you have read Orwell’s sundry works… 1984… Animal Farm… etc… but how many of you have drunk a ‘Black and Tan’ at Orwell’s favorite pub, the Newman Arms on 23 Rathbone Street…  …followed by walk to the Elysee Restaurant, around the corner at 13 Percy Street, which was one of Orwell’s favorite eating places? The default dish here has to be Moussaka, as Orwell ate it on nearly every occasion that he visited this place. A splendid evening was had by Gabriel Syme and myself (the wicked and iniquitous Johnathan Pearce was a no-show) amidst an impressive collection of privacy and civil liberties activists from across a .. ahem… wide range of the political spectrum. Cross-posted from Samizdata.net June 26th, 2003 | Comments are closed
Simon Davies of Privacy International organised an event this evening here in London in order to honour George Orwell and hoist a drink or three to one of England’s greatest writers on the occasion of his birthday. Now I know a lot of you have read Orwell’s sundry works… 1984… Animal Farm… etc… but how many of you have drunk a ‘Black and Tan’ at Orwell’s favorite pub, the Newman Arms on 23 Rathbone Street… …followed by walk to the Elysee Restaurant, around the corner at 13 Percy Street, which was one of Orwell’s favorite eating places? The default dish here has to be Moussaka, as Orwell ate it on nearly every occasion that he visited this place. A splendid evening was had by Gabriel Syme and myself (the wicked and iniquitous Johnathan Pearce was a no-show) amidst an impressive collection of privacy and civil liberties activists from across a .. ahem… wide range of the political spectrum. June 25th, 2003 | 5 comments - (Comments are closed)
Just because you have a Self doesn’t mean you should express it. June 25th, 2003 | 4 comments - (Comments are closed)
|
   |
||||
All content on this website (including text, photographs, audio files, and any other original works), unless otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons License. |
|||||