Civil Liberties ..

[Fred Bassett]

Am I alone in thinking that Civil Liberties in this country are being steadily eroded?

 

Every week there seems to be some new example, this week's being that a trial is being held at the Old Bailey without a Jury. The reason apparently is that Judge feared 'tampering'. Is this the thin end of the wedge?

 

We seems to be the most over-regulated society in the Western World and I wouldn't be surprised to find that we are more regulated than a lot of so-called dictatorships.

 

In the larger towns and in the cities everything we do is on filmed on CCTV cameras.

 

In many areas, there are even microchips to check on the amount of rubbish we put in our bins.

 

This government has created thousands of new criminal laws and worse, tens of thousands of new jobs to police them. The police themselves are used to investigate matters involving letters from people that council officials object to. The whole thing is out of hand.

 

This government would like nothing better than to force us all to have ID cards (at our expense). "You won't have to carry them" they tell us, just produce them within a certain time if you're asked to show them. What is the point in that? Clearly, the next logical step is that it will be yet another criminal offence not to carry an ID card. In addition to that, the number of people who now have the powers to demand your identity seems to be rising by the month.

 

Wouldn't it be a good idea if we were all on a DNA database? After all, if you've done nothing wrong, what have you got to hide?. The slippery slope - but to where?.

 

It's all wrong. I'd like to think that if this lot were kicked out at the next election then the problem will be solved but I don't think it will be.

 

Who will save us from this inexorable slide into a police state?

 

Fred

Edited January 17, 2010 by Fred Bassett

[Dodgy Geezer]

\

 

Who will save us from this inexorable slide into a police state?

 

Saint Peter.

[Fred Bassett]

\

 

Saint Peter.

 

Mandelson?!!

[Dodgy Geezer]

Mandelson?!!

 

No, the one who meets you at the pearly gates. Thats the only way to stop this.

[MARTIN3030]

Am I alone in thinking that Civil Liberties in this country are being steadily eroded?

 

 

Have you only just noticed ?

[maroondevo52]

What Civil Liberties

[MARTIN3030]

"In the larger towns and in the cities everything we do is on filmed on CCTV cameras."

 

Its not just larger towns and cities-they are everywhere now.

[MARTIN3030]

"In many areas, there are even microchips to check on the amount of rubbish we put in our bins."

 

My council dont have them yet.....but I think my neigbour has fitted on on theirs after a certain person was sussed putting stuff in theirs:rolleyes:

[Tezcatlipoca]

Am I alone in thinking that Civil Liberties in this country are being steadily eroded?

 

You're not alone in that at all. This government have done more in their relatively brief leadership to destroy the principles of free speech and civil rights in this country than at almost any other time in the last few hundred years.

A prime recent example? Brain Haw. I cannot think of another example, at any time in the history of this country, where the government has forced undemocratic legislation through purely to get rid of one lone protester.

Any government that feels there is a valid need to implement an 'exclusion zone' around its seat of power to prevent any form of protest has no business calling itself democratic.

 

Sure, there have always been campaigns and demands for greater liberty, but I don't think there has ever been a point in history where the lines are as clearly drawn as they are today. People seem to be a lot more in touch with their rights these days, and I think there's a much greater feeling that we can - on masse - bring governments to account and force change. Whether or not we're right, or simply deluding ourselves, is another matter.

 

Who will save us, Fred? Well, I'm not sure anyone will, to be honest. Whilst the amount of surveillance, both actual and intended, is worrying, I think a greater problem lies with the attitude of government, central and local, and of other authorities, such as the police.

There seems to be a growing level of abuse of legislation, from all these quarters, and until those attitudes are addressed, I think we will continue to see such laws enacted by, and acted on, an increasingly delusional, paranoid government.

 

You mentioned your hope that once the government is changed, these matters could be addressed. I'm with you in principle, but in reality they won't be. It's very easy to enact and implement sweeping laws, but very rare they are ever repealed.

 

The answer? Emigration, perhaps? And I say that - unusually for me - without irony or sarcasm, because whilst it's true that the grass only appears greener on the other side of the fence, it remains a fact that a great many countries do not have anything close to the mean-spirited, nanny-state attitude that seems to pervade in the UK.

[Thailand]

We seems to be the most over-regulated society in the Western World and I wouldn't be surprised to find that we are more regulated than a lot of so-called dictatorships.

 

As a total aside, I always thought that we only had pretend regulation (mostly). I think we need more of it and improvements in existing regulation. The only regulator I've noticed that actually works is the Advertising Standards Authority (nothing in that for government - which is why I feel it works)

 

Private business is increasingly up to no good (for me) and I think the government, at times, is fully aware of the revenue and this dictates that the regulation is purposefully not effective in what it is supposed to suppress. Maybe I'm too cynical, but the OFT are a waste of space!

[Tezcatlipoca]

As a total aside, I always thought that we only had pretend regulation (mostly). I think we need more of it and improvements in existing regulation. The only regulator I've noticed that actually works is the Advertising Standards Authority (nothing in that for government - which is why I feel it works)

 

Private business is increasingly up to no good (for me) and I think the government, at times, is fully aware of the revenue and this dictates that the regulation is purposefully not effective in what it is supposed to suppress. Maybe I'm too cynical, but the OFT are a waste of space!

 

I, perhaps equally cynically, have to agree. Most regulatory bodies in the UK that exist for, or are geared towards, the public interest seem to me to have been stripped of most of their teeth by the government.

 

But is that really that surprising? Invariably, any body that protects the public is at some point going to have a negative impact on the revenue generation of that company, which, in turn, hurts the governments revenue generation from taxation.

It seems that it's in the financial interests of any government to pay lip service to its electorate by having a public facing institution to protect the public interests, but to legally neuter said institution to ensure that it doesn't actually cause any trouble.

[Fred Bassett]

You're not alone in that at all.

 

I'm glad to see there is something we can agree on.

 

I don't think a change of Government will make that much difference at the highest level - the powers the state has will probably remain. At a lower level though, if Cameron gets elected, there is bound to be a cutting of a lot of public sector jobs and that in itself might do away with some of the unnecessary snooping. I won't hold my breath though.

 

Fred

[Bookworm]

Invariably, any body that protects the public is at some point going to have a negative impact on the revenue generation of that company, which, in turn, hurts the governments revenue generation from taxation.

"What an amazing country.

You plant civil servants, and soon you harvest taxes".*

 

George Clemenceau (French Prime Minister, early 20th century)

 

 

*He was talking about France, but the quote seems apt everywhere.

[Fred Bassett]

"What an amazing country.

You plant civil servants, and soon you harvest taxes".*

 

George Clemenceau (French Prime Minister, early 20th century)

 

 

*He was talking about France, but the quote seems apt everywhere.

 

This lot have planted about 750,000 civil servants in the last 12 years. That's a lot of extra taxation.