UK's "Iraq WMD" dossier drafted by press officer?

Paz on 13/11/2006 at 23:25

Quote:

a law which lets the authorities arrest/charge just about anyone they choose

I assume we're talking about the Terrorism Act of 2000 here. The one which had been used to arrest an epic 1,047 people by June 2006 (and charged 158). That's a law which is obviously being abused to its fullest extent. Though, of course, no doubt massively annoying for anyone incorrectly arrested due to it. I wonder how the arrested/charged ratio stacks up for more mundane laws in comparison, however ('cos I don't know).

Your implication is that they're about to come around and arrest me for my old university textbooks about Marx or something. It isn't happening.

OH BUT IT COULD

Well it isn't.

(ps - I'm not a big fan of our crappy anti-terrorist legislation, but I see it as a sign of incompetance, rushed legislation and inability to deal rationally with the problem, rather than something more sinister)

(pps - I'm also not arguing the case for EVERYTHING IS FINE IN MY WORLD OF CAKE, TRA-LA-LA - I'm merely suggesting that the level scaremongering rhetoric being thrown around in this thread is just stupid. No more, no less. Tone it down to "small-to-medium scaremongering" and I'd probably be on side.)

Fingernail on 13/11/2006 at 23:29

just popping in to agree with Paz itt

everything in moderation!

SD on 13/11/2006 at 23:32

Quote Posted by Paz

What can I no longer do tomorrow that I could do in, I dunno, 1995? (comedy "watch Oldham Athletic in Division One" answers will not appreciated!)

This is a list of some recent developments I noted down at the time; it's not by any means definitive, just a few items that caught my eye.

On June 23rd mens' magazines needed to be put under the (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5111066.stm) same restrictions as hardcore pornography.

On August 30th, we were (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/30082006/325/crackdown-violent-porn.html) banning "violent porn".

September 14th, and we were (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/14092006/325/drugs-policy-young-failing.html) cutting the drink-drive limit for under-25s, as well as hiking up alcohol taxes to stop "binge-drinking" (yes, the government is telling us how we can and can't drink alcohol these days).

October 6th, and a man was sentenced to (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/06102006/140/man-jailed-racist-web-messages.html) 32 months in prison for trolling on the Internet. He got another 6 months for possession of child porn :rolleyes:.

On October 28th, it was (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6095260.stm) banning flag-burning.

Last Thursday (November 9th), they were prosecuting someone just for having copies of (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6134538.stm) documents that could be useful to terrorists. Zaccheus just mentioned this one too :)

Today Labour stepped up plans to lengthen the time the police can hold people without charge to (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6143302.stm) three months. They also introduced new rules to allow (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6144790.stm) anonymous voting in elections; ostensibly for victims of domestic violence, but I think we can all see how this sort of thing could easily be abused.

It seems that every day we get another silly law. They're announcing new legislation before they've even implemented laws that they only just passed. When is it going to end?

Scots Taffer on 13/11/2006 at 23:49

I can think of plenty of worse things the Labour government has done than crack down on violent pornography and paedophilia (and again, you show a polar opposite here to your "perverts" comment in the other thread). In fact, those are two areas that probably could do with some work given the repeat sex offenders problem the country has.

If I was going to start with anything, it'd be the anti-terror laws and so forth.

SD on 13/11/2006 at 23:59

Quote Posted by Scots_Taffer

I can think of plenty of worse things the Labour government has done than crack down on violent pornography

So can I, it was just an example of how the government is criminalising perfectly reasonable activities; in this instance, sado-masochistic porn, even where it occurs between consenting adults, will be banned.

Quote:

and paedophilia (and again, you show a polar opposite here to your "perverts" comment in the other thread).

Uh... I have no problem with people being sent to jail for possessing child porn :weird: - my problem is with people being jailed for posting abusive messages on an internet bulletin board.

Fingernail on 14/11/2006 at 00:01

You clearly didn't read about the internet troll guy closely enough, it says here he was "a friendless loner who lived with his parents in Maghull".

That's enough to lock him away for life in my book.

Scots Taffer on 14/11/2006 at 00:05

Haha, zing.

I can see good reason why Stronts would be worried about trolling getting you in jail too...

THAT'S RIGHT, I WENT THERE!

Seriously though, Stronty, I got confused because you put your :rolleyes: after the paedophile bit.

Paz on 14/11/2006 at 00:05

So aside from a smattering of batshit anti-terrorism stuff (which I would entirely agree is a mixed bag and very much the crazy laws of the moment), they don't really want people to be into necrophilia, paedophilia, racism or drink driving.

Well shit, that completely justifies comparisons with the third reich.

You seem, once again, to be dead set on demonstrating your astonishing ability to alienate people who might broadly agree with the spirit or principles of your argument. The dudes down at Lib Dem HQ will probably tell you that's not the best way to get messages across.

Also you didn't really answer my question. Can I still burn flags like it's 1995, or not? Is it actually law? If it is, has anyone been charged for it? Is it functioning as intended? (none of the above, it was a police recommendation .. sorry, an "urging")

A lot of this stuff is suggestions/bills/never-gonna-happens. There's a lot of fumbling and bumbling and being out of touch behind lots of these things, but not a whole lot of EVIL BIG BROTHER.

What are my missing freedoms in this wacky modern age?

VVVVV I would kindly request that you do not refer to ladies of a gothic persuasion in such a crude manner, sir!

Scots Taffer on 14/11/2006 at 00:10

You know the sight of cold, pallid corpses turns you on, Paz.

You're sick.

And I love it.

SD on 14/11/2006 at 00:24

Quote Posted by Paz

You seem, once again, to be dead set on demonstrating your astonishing ability to alienate people who might broadly agree with the spirit or principles of your argument.

And you seem to be dead set on ignoring a clear and present threat until you no longer have the ability to do anything about it.

Compulsory biometric ID cards. Imprisonment without trial. Compulsory logging of every person's DNA.
These are all going to happen if Labour remains in power long enough to implement them.

Of course, you could always protest against them, until Labour bans dissent too. Here's a nice Monbiot (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,1584140,00.html) column from last year; if you won't listen to me, maybe you'll listen to him.