[lagerstarfish]

don't mess with The Transport Police

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/video-police-arrest-protest-pensioners-1-6689635

I bet the protesters also steal our BBC resources by not having a TV (and hence license), but still listening to radio 4

[mrjonathanr]

Our Prime Minister certainly knows how to tap in to communications expertise:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jun/24/andy-coulson-rebekah-brooks-phone-hacking-trial

Doubt he'll be directing much now.

[Sloper]

A lamentable error of Judgment.  Coulson should never have been hired, not because of the questions over 'phone hacking but because someone who was an editor at TNOTW should never be allowed near the levers of government (although to be fair both he and Alistair Campbell who arguably was a more malign influence) were both bloody good at their jobs.

[slackline]

don't mess with The Transport Police

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/video-police-arrest-protest-pensioners-1-6689635

I bet the protesters also steal our BBC resources by not having a TV (and hence license), but still listening to radio 4

Star reporter threatened with arrest under "anti-terrorism" laws

[Sloper]

When you enact draconain and poorly drafted legislation you cannot be surprised when it is misused, another legacy of Labour's authoritarian streak.

[slackline]

When you enact draconain and poorly drafted legislation you cannot be surprised when it is misused, another legacy of Labour's authoritarian streak.

Why haven't those liberal Tories repelled the law then I wonder? 

[Sloper]

They have repealled a number of Labour's anti-terror provisions from the 2001 Anti Terrorism and Security Act 2011,  Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 (detention without charge, control orders and other bits & bobs) and also the ID Cards Act and declined to renew Orders (amounting to the same as a repeal).

Labour passed a criminal Justice / Terrorism bill almost every other week (slight hyperbole) and upicking things is not particularly easy and requires a good deal of Parliamentary time.

The direction of travel is clearl however, Labour enact repressive laws and the Tories tend to repeal them / introduce laws such as PACE (a central provision of which was removed by SOCAPA 2005 by Labour).  The only arguable exception is the 1994 Criminal Justice & Public Order Act which is a curate's egg of an Act.

[Moo]

So they've repealled the anti terror laws designed to protect us from terrorist attacks? while being found to be in bed with dodgy reporters and snoopers?

 Remind me again how this looks bad for labour Sloper?

[mrjonathanr]

Fortunately we have libertarians like Dr Fox to help us roll back Labour control-freakery.

[Sloper]

So they've repealled the anti terror laws designed to protect us from terrorist attacks? while being found to be in bed with dodgy reporters and snoopers?

 Remind me again how this looks bad for labour Sloper?

It's not bad for Labour at all, it's bad for Cameron and the Tories (and rightly so) as for the rest of the whataboutery grow up and get a sense of perspective, compared with complicity in rendition and torture, the illegal invasion of Iraq (and the sexed up dossier) the gross infringements on civil liberties this bunch of incompetent fuck monkeys cannot hold a candle to the 13 years of Labour.

[webbo]

I like it, a double negative. In admitting your side have managed to score an own goal or two, you imply the other side sold the match.
At this rate you will be standing as the Labour candidate for Bolsover in 2020.

[Sloper]

I'd stand in Bolsover for the Tories (it would be fun and I'd probably get a fight out of it too) as I expect Denis and I would get on rather well over a pint and a game of crib in the miner's welfare.

[webbo]

I may be slightly pissed or are you starting to melloew

[Moo]

FFS sloper don't go lecturing other people on their sense of perspective, are you the pot or am I the kettle?

[Jaspersharpe]

Daily Mash summarises Coulson / Brooks verdict.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/jury-asked-if-it-could-find-coulson-ultra-guilty-2014062487953

[Sloper]

Anyone fancy a wager on sentence? I'd say that we're talking say 4 as a starter, add a bit for volume & abuse of position of trust, not pleading at an early stage then reduction for previous good character, 3 as a sentence?

[slackline]

Ian Duncan Smith comes in for some stick from Glenda Jackson....

[Jaspersharpe]

Serious Fraud Office fined £660k for £4m VAT overclaim. Yes really.

http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/article/serious-fraud-office-fined-reclaiming-wrong-vat/560731

[tomtom]

Anyone fancy a wager on sentence? I'd say that we're talking say 4 as a starter, add a bit for volume & abuse of position of trust, not pleading at an early stage then reduction for previous good character, 3 as a sentence?

Looks like you were out.. 18 months..

[Sloper]

Surprised at that one! He'll serve what about 8 months, but his reputation is trashed for ever.

[Sloper]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/08/south-dakota-man-dies-hotdog-contest

lost for words.

[Sloper]

Check out the bloke behind the god botherer, it looks like he's still on one from about 1992. 

[slackline]

Data Retention Law to be sneaked through Parliament/Lords

The EU rules against existing laws so they try and introduce new ones that are no better.    A little more information on how "events in Syria and Iraq demonstrate" would be pertinent because I don't see how holding everyones communications has any bearing with perhaps a small 0.0001% of the population who are likely already being monitored already.

So much for democracy and the right to a private life.  Politics and politicians really is/are a huge pile of steaming 

[Sloper]

FFS Tom Watson, you do know about Tom and his engagments behind the scenes don't you?

[slackline]

I don't need to.

A bill is being passed, quickly and without the same time being heard in the houses because previous laws were found by the EU to be unlawful.  Doesn't seem very democratic to me, and I disagree with the need to mass-monitor the population in the first place.  The spectre of terrorism is massively over-hyped and the way it is handled is a massive inconvenience and intrusion of privacy to 99.999% of the population (heightened airport security being the latest manifestation).