European Court of Human Rights rejects David Miliband's attempt to deport terrorist suspects to be tortured
"Britain’s efforts to deport terrorist suspects including the radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada were dealt a serious blow by the European Court of Human Rights yesterday".
"Britain, which is seeking to send Abu Qatada to Jordan, had intervened in the case in the hope that the court would back the return of suspects regardless of their home country’s human rights record.
Ministers argued that the right of the British public to be protected against terrorism should be balanced against suspects’ right not to be illtreated on their return home. But the court rejected the Government’s argument and ruled that the protection against torture is absolute".
Isn't it time that David Miliband and Jack Straw resigned for their support for the use of torture?
ECtHR judgment here.
My Telegraph link.
According to Tailrank this is the hottest news on the blogosphere.
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
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Friday, February 29, 2008
Eighty prisoners released early every day
Eighty prisoners released early every day
"Nearly 80 prisoners a day were freed before their sentences were finished last month, swelling the total number of prisoners released early since last June to more than 18,500.
The news came as it emerged that Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has failed to persuade magistrates to jail fewer criminals with prisons full to capacity and running at a record high for the second week running".
Jack Straw behind bars where he should be.
"Nearly 80 prisoners a day were freed before their sentences were finished last month, swelling the total number of prisoners released early since last June to more than 18,500.
The news came as it emerged that Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has failed to persuade magistrates to jail fewer criminals with prisons full to capacity and running at a record high for the second week running".
Jack Straw behind bars where he should be.
Madeleine McCann parents face new interview
Madeleine McCann parents face new interview
A spokesman for the McCanns said: "They've nothing to hide".
That's because the McCanns have already hidden Madeleine.
photo: Hat-Tip to Noclue.
The McCanns walking past the spot where they buried Madeleine
A spokesman for the McCanns said: "They've nothing to hide".
That's because the McCanns have already hidden Madeleine.
photo: Hat-Tip to Noclue.
The McCanns walking past the spot where they buried Madeleine
Saving Prince Harry
Saving Prince Harry
Steven Spielberg has announced that he is to direct a new film called Saving Prince Harry. The blockbuster movie is about a poor little rich boy who has a fantasy about being an ordinary person who wanted to go to war as an ordinary soldier. The boy's dream had a sense of reality about it, when his powerful grandmother pulled strings for him to fly to Afghanistan so that he could be near some real soldiers. But the enemy, the media, closed in on the boy and like Steve McQueen, he jumped on his motorbike to make The Great Escape. For he is no ordinary boy at all, no ordinary soldier, he is Prince Harry, 3rd in line to the throne in a crumbling British Empire, and the Army high command must save him from further embarrassment...
"Following a detailed assessment of the risks by the operational chain of command, the decision has been taken by Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Strap, Chief of Defence Staff, in consultation with General Sir Richard Donought, Chief of the General Staff, to withdraw Prince Harry from Afghanistan immediately.
"This decision has been taken primarily on the basis that the worldwide media coverage of Prince Harry in Afghanistan could impact on the security of those who are deployed there, as well as the risks to him as an individual soldier".
Prince Harry is reported to be disappointed that he will no longer be able to play football behind the lines, and will have to return the Queen's Shilling for failing to carry out his mission. But all is not lost, he will be awarded The Single White Feather for outstanding cowardice in the face of the enemy.
UPDATE: Obsolete has an exclusive photo showing that Harry met Camilla while in Afghanistan. Once again somebody else was riding her...
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Prince Harry's phoney war
Prince Harry's phoney war
The BBC 6 O' Clock News reported that Prince Harry has been in Afghanistan in the front line fighting the Taliban for 10 weeks. However, the photo opportunity showed the prince in a heavily fortified camp behind the lines sat behind a desk. He was also shown shooting a machine gun at nothing. And patrolling a deserted street which reminded me of a film set for a wild west movie.
Nicholas Witchell really should not claim that Prince Harry came under fire. At night he might be sat around a camp fire...
UPDATE: Credit to The Drudge for breaking the story. No credit for this line "Army chiefs have managed to keep the prince away from media". The media were there, they just subjected themselves to a self-imposed news blackout until such time as the Establishment were ready to release the news.
Some interesting comments over on My Telegraph blog. Link.
UPDATED UPDATE: While The Drudge is claiming "A world exclusive", this is not true as the story first broke on a blog in Australia back in January, and the day before The Drudge's so-called world exclusive it was mentioned in a German newspaper's diary column. Shouldn't Jon Snow really be saying thank God for our penal colony down under?
It emerged on Questiontime that a BBC documentary film crew has been with the prince since he went to Afghanistan. And, the prince has stated that he is now a normal soldier. Which other normal soldier would be allowed to take a BBC documentary film crew to war with him? Harry remains a coward. Gorgeous George Galloway accused the BBC of colluding in the war effort. Meanwhile, Newsnight thought Marks and Sparks ripping off its customers by charging 5p for every plastic bag was the big story of the day. Harry came a poor third billing.
The BBC 6 O' Clock News reported that Prince Harry has been in Afghanistan in the front line fighting the Taliban for 10 weeks. However, the photo opportunity showed the prince in a heavily fortified camp behind the lines sat behind a desk. He was also shown shooting a machine gun at nothing. And patrolling a deserted street which reminded me of a film set for a wild west movie.
Nicholas Witchell really should not claim that Prince Harry came under fire. At night he might be sat around a camp fire...
UPDATE: Credit to The Drudge for breaking the story. No credit for this line "Army chiefs have managed to keep the prince away from media". The media were there, they just subjected themselves to a self-imposed news blackout until such time as the Establishment were ready to release the news.
Some interesting comments over on My Telegraph blog. Link.
UPDATED UPDATE: While The Drudge is claiming "A world exclusive", this is not true as the story first broke on a blog in Australia back in January, and the day before The Drudge's so-called world exclusive it was mentioned in a German newspaper's diary column. Shouldn't Jon Snow really be saying thank God for our penal colony down under?
It emerged on Questiontime that a BBC documentary film crew has been with the prince since he went to Afghanistan. And, the prince has stated that he is now a normal soldier. Which other normal soldier would be allowed to take a BBC documentary film crew to war with him? Harry remains a coward. Gorgeous George Galloway accused the BBC of colluding in the war effort. Meanwhile, Newsnight thought Marks and Sparks ripping off its customers by charging 5p for every plastic bag was the big story of the day. Harry came a poor third billing.
The pensioners who opt for prison
The pensioners who opt for prison
"A growing band of pensioners who are prepared to go to jail rather than pay their council tax will challenge local authorities again this year".
This case highlights a new definition of the term old lags.
"A growing band of pensioners who are prepared to go to jail rather than pay their council tax will challenge local authorities again this year".
This case highlights a new definition of the term old lags.
Jack Straw scraps reform of prostitute law to avoid prison officer strike
Jack Straw scraps reform of prostitute law to avoid prison officer strike
"Jack Straw dropped measures to overhaul the law on prostitution yesterday to ensure that a Bill that prevents prison officers from striking is law by May".
"Jack Straw dropped measures to overhaul the law on prostitution yesterday to ensure that a Bill that prevents prison officers from striking is law by May".
Should Boris Johnson have been shot on the spot for looting?
Should Boris Johnson have been shot on the spot for looting?
The Thief of Bagdad, Boris Johnson, "has agreed to give back the [cigar] case [which he looted] but spoke of his astonishment at the intervention of the police".
I think it is a shame that Boris Johnson was not treated like all other looters and shot on the spot.
Since when has it become a blunder for the police to investigate the crime of theft? At the very least, Boris Johnson should receive a caution from the police. Have his fingerprints taken, his photograph enter the rogues gallery, and a sample of his DNA kept on the DNA database just in case he re-offends in the future.
The Thief of Bagdad, Boris Johnson, "has agreed to give back the [cigar] case [which he looted] but spoke of his astonishment at the intervention of the police".
I think it is a shame that Boris Johnson was not treated like all other looters and shot on the spot.
Since when has it become a blunder for the police to investigate the crime of theft? At the very least, Boris Johnson should receive a caution from the police. Have his fingerprints taken, his photograph enter the rogues gallery, and a sample of his DNA kept on the DNA database just in case he re-offends in the future.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Three go missing from open prison
Three go missing from open prison
"Three inmates have absconded from an open jail in south Gloucestershire".
I wonder if they could argue that they were only easing the prison overcrowding crisis if and when they are captured?
"Three inmates have absconded from an open jail in south Gloucestershire".
I wonder if they could argue that they were only easing the prison overcrowding crisis if and when they are captured?
Do you wear jammies or are you a jammie dodger?
Do you wear jammies or are you a jammie dodger?
Well known blogger turns to porno to boost his stats. All will be revealed on Friday.
UPDATE: Nourishingobscurity reports that all will now be revealed on Saturday!
Well known blogger turns to porno to boost his stats. All will be revealed on Friday.
UPDATE: Nourishingobscurity reports that all will now be revealed on Saturday!
Police laying in wait
Police laying in wait
Following this report of police illicit use of patrol cars to visit the seaside. Yesterday, I actually found evidence of police working in Hull. They were busy setting traps for unsuspecting motorists. Given the amount of recent thefts from cars in my neighbourhood at night, perhaps they could have laid traps to catch the thieves instead?
Following this report of police illicit use of patrol cars to visit the seaside. Yesterday, I actually found evidence of police working in Hull. They were busy setting traps for unsuspecting motorists. Given the amount of recent thefts from cars in my neighbourhood at night, perhaps they could have laid traps to catch the thieves instead?
Boris Johnson is the Thief of Bagdad
Boris Johnson is the Thief of Bagdad
Police probe Boris Johnson over cigar 'theft'
Is the man who admits stealing a cigar case fit to become the Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority if he becomes Lord Mayor? Didn't Boris advocate that the police should target even minor crimes in a zero tolerance approach? Why is it all of a sudden he doesn't think his minor crime should be a matter for the police to investigate?
Earthquake or earth tremor hits Hull
Earthquake or earth tremor hits Hull
I was just nodding off when the earth shook for me. I suddenly thought somebody had swapped my bed for one of those that vibrate. I thought the chimney was coming down. My bedhead is against the chimney breast, and this was shaking and my bed was inching forward. I've never been more scared in my whole life. It could only have lasted between 10-15 seconds at approximately 1am today.
Fuck me, I have just read that Indonesia has had 12 in 4 days.
Going back to bed. Just hoping that the house does not fall down around me.
UPDATE: I watched both the national and local news this morning. It was more widespread than I initially thought and was definitely a earthquake. The epicentre was near Market Rasen, just the other side of the Humber Bridge, and measured 5.3 on the Richter scale. I was shaken by it but otherwise unhurt.
Largest earthquake in two decades hits UK
All the areas effected are shown by blue dots.
News report below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7266136.stm
Video.
I was just nodding off when the earth shook for me. I suddenly thought somebody had swapped my bed for one of those that vibrate. I thought the chimney was coming down. My bedhead is against the chimney breast, and this was shaking and my bed was inching forward. I've never been more scared in my whole life. It could only have lasted between 10-15 seconds at approximately 1am today.
Fuck me, I have just read that Indonesia has had 12 in 4 days.
Going back to bed. Just hoping that the house does not fall down around me.
UPDATE: I watched both the national and local news this morning. It was more widespread than I initially thought and was definitely a earthquake. The epicentre was near Market Rasen, just the other side of the Humber Bridge, and measured 5.3 on the Richter scale. I was shaken by it but otherwise unhurt.
Largest earthquake in two decades hits UK
All the areas effected are shown by blue dots.News report below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7266136.stm
Video.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Home Secretary makes concession in terror detention row
Home Secretary makes concession in terror detention row
Do they not have a kitchen sink in the Home Office? According to conservativehome.com "Jacqui Smith will offer Parliament bigger scrutiny role in bid to pass 42 days detention law". Parliament has shown itself as being incapable of subjecting MPs expenses to proper scrutiny. Given this, how can they be trusted on something as serious as protecting the liberty of the subject against arbitrary detention?
Osama Bin London convicted of terrorist related offences
Osama Bin London convicted of terrorist related offences
Osama Bin London made the mistake of camping out in the New Forest and attending a Berkshire paintballing centre, apparently these once innocent activities are now deemed to be offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, particularly if you are a Muslim.
Patrol officers are accused of illicit car trips to the seaside
Patrol officers are accused of illicit car trips to the seaside
No wonder there are no police officers available to answer 999 calls, they are all too busy driving off to the seaside for a skylark whilst on duty!
UPDATE: "Two police officers have been forced to resign over claims they took patrol cars on seaside trips while on duty".
No wonder there are no police officers available to answer 999 calls, they are all too busy driving off to the seaside for a skylark whilst on duty!
UPDATE: "Two police officers have been forced to resign over claims they took patrol cars on seaside trips while on duty".
Speaker Michael Martin cuts MPs expenses
Speaker Michael Martin cuts MPs expenses
Given that MPs are supposed to be accountable to Parliament and ultimately the electorate, it is not good enough for Micael Martin simply to cut MPs expenses from £250 without the need to provide any receipts. Whatever magical figure he plucks out of the air, given the displayed untrustworthiness of MPS you can bet your bottom dollar that they will continue to claim the maximum amount because its there for the taking. Moreover, they will come up with some other fiddle to recoup their losses. Therefore, nothing less than a requirement to provide a receipt for every penny claimed will suffice. Furthermore, any other claims should have to be justified.
Levi Bellfield sentenced to 'whole life' in jail
Levi Bellfield sentenced to 'whole life' in jail
"A former nightclub bouncer will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of a murderous campaign of violence against women. Levi Bellfield was found guilty at the Old Bailey yesterday of killing Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22, as well as the attempted murder of schoolgirl Kate Sheedy, and was today sentenced to three whole life terms".
Day in court...again
Day in court...again
On Saturday a woman from the B&B in the next street knocked on my door and handed me a large duck egg blue coloured plastic envelpe, addressed to me, which the postman had incorrectly delivered. As I thanked her my eyes were drawn to the scales of justice beneath which was the letters CPS. In a roundabout way they had served the papers on me for the committal hearing this morning. Yesterday, two young women came to my door and knocked and when I opened it they asked whether I rented out rooms. I said that I didn't, and pointed them in the right direction. I thought about adding that I had noticed a sign in the B&B front window stating "No Vacancies". But, I thought they may have and just forgot to remove the sign so I didn't bother.
I got to the magistrates court at 9.30. A late night or early morning getting to bed meant that I was in a rush, and Rocky's walk was cut to 10 minutes to allow me a cup of tea before I set off for the half hour walk into the City Centre. I was ready to go into court at 10. However, there was a delay the clerk of the court explained to me because Legal Aid needed to be transferred from Payne & Payne in Hull to Harrison and Bundey in Leeds. The representative for Payne & Payne had spoken to me and then went walkabout. Meanwhile, I bought a cup of tea for 50p and Mars Bar for 40p from the cafeteria. Ten shillings for a cuppa and eight bob for a Mars Bar, I thought 'what's the world coming to?'. When the Payne & Payne representative showed up again I told him he owed me 90p. He thought I was joking and walked off without paying.
There was some confusion in the court. Although I was originally arrested for assault and having a dog dangerously out of control, I was charged instead with threatening contrary to public order. My understanding at the last court hearing was that this charge was dropped when I pleaded not guilty and elected to go to trial. I phoned up the clerk of the court to confirm this and she stated that it was her understanding also. However, I did note in the CPS papers that it was intended to pursue a case against me for common assault! I might have got this wrong, but as I understand it the CPS does not intend to pursue the public order offence. He seemed to think that I had pleaded not guilty to this charge. However, the magistrates informed him that there was no record of this only a plea in relation to the dog being dangerously out of control. I would say that this supports my contention that it was decided not to proceed with it.
The Crown Court hearing is set for 19th of March. The magistrates almost granted me unconditional bail, when the CPS stated that he did not oppose bail. However, the busybody interfering clerk of the court piped up that there was previously set bail conditions. I argued that the conditions should be changed to allow me to go into Pearson Park to enable me to speak to people I know by sight to ask if they would be my witnesses. This was refused. I feel that this is hampering my defence and could lead to an unfair trial.
On Saturday a woman from the B&B in the next street knocked on my door and handed me a large duck egg blue coloured plastic envelpe, addressed to me, which the postman had incorrectly delivered. As I thanked her my eyes were drawn to the scales of justice beneath which was the letters CPS. In a roundabout way they had served the papers on me for the committal hearing this morning. Yesterday, two young women came to my door and knocked and when I opened it they asked whether I rented out rooms. I said that I didn't, and pointed them in the right direction. I thought about adding that I had noticed a sign in the B&B front window stating "No Vacancies". But, I thought they may have and just forgot to remove the sign so I didn't bother.
I got to the magistrates court at 9.30. A late night or early morning getting to bed meant that I was in a rush, and Rocky's walk was cut to 10 minutes to allow me a cup of tea before I set off for the half hour walk into the City Centre. I was ready to go into court at 10. However, there was a delay the clerk of the court explained to me because Legal Aid needed to be transferred from Payne & Payne in Hull to Harrison and Bundey in Leeds. The representative for Payne & Payne had spoken to me and then went walkabout. Meanwhile, I bought a cup of tea for 50p and Mars Bar for 40p from the cafeteria. Ten shillings for a cuppa and eight bob for a Mars Bar, I thought 'what's the world coming to?'. When the Payne & Payne representative showed up again I told him he owed me 90p. He thought I was joking and walked off without paying.
There was some confusion in the court. Although I was originally arrested for assault and having a dog dangerously out of control, I was charged instead with threatening contrary to public order. My understanding at the last court hearing was that this charge was dropped when I pleaded not guilty and elected to go to trial. I phoned up the clerk of the court to confirm this and she stated that it was her understanding also. However, I did note in the CPS papers that it was intended to pursue a case against me for common assault! I might have got this wrong, but as I understand it the CPS does not intend to pursue the public order offence. He seemed to think that I had pleaded not guilty to this charge. However, the magistrates informed him that there was no record of this only a plea in relation to the dog being dangerously out of control. I would say that this supports my contention that it was decided not to proceed with it.
The Crown Court hearing is set for 19th of March. The magistrates almost granted me unconditional bail, when the CPS stated that he did not oppose bail. However, the busybody interfering clerk of the court piped up that there was previously set bail conditions. I argued that the conditions should be changed to allow me to go into Pearson Park to enable me to speak to people I know by sight to ask if they would be my witnesses. This was refused. I feel that this is hampering my defence and could lead to an unfair trial.
Monday, February 25, 2008
British Gas broke into couple's home
British Gas broke into couple's home
"A couple who returned from holiday to find the locks on their front door had been picked were shocked to discover that energy giant British Gas behind the break-in".
They were not even customers of British Gas and were supplied by a rival company!
"Proper checks would have revealed the couple did not owe a penny"!
"A couple who returned from holiday to find the locks on their front door had been picked were shocked to discover that energy giant British Gas behind the break-in".
They were not even customers of British Gas and were supplied by a rival company!
"Proper checks would have revealed the couple did not owe a penny"!
SAS 'held suspects for extraordinary rendition'
SAS 'held suspects for extraordinary rendition'
"British special forces have been used to detain terrorist suspects for extraordinary rendition by the Americans, it has been claimed".
List of war criminals: Jack Straw, Margaret Beckett, David Miliband, Geoff Hoon, Des Browne, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown.
Crisis at police watchdog as lawyers resign
Crisis at police watchdog as lawyers resign
More than 100 quit over claims of delay and poor decisions by IPCC
"The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) faces a crisis of confidence after a network of more than a hundred lawyers who specialise in handling police complaints resigned from its advisory body".
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Radio 5 Live
Radio 5 Live
I will be on the Stephen Nolan show on Radio 5 Live at 10 o clock talking about the two recent cases of murder of the model and the prostitutes and whether justice/revenge is enough to satisfy the victims families or are they entitled to more.
UPDATE: There is a listen again facility for 7 days on the BBC website if anybody is interested in a audio firework display. Basically, the mother of Sally Ann Bowman spoke to the News of the Screws (and its sales would have gone up as a result) and stated how she was consumed with hate and she fed off it to keep her going. In contrast, Gee Walker has publicly stated that she forgives the killers of her son and stated that she will not allow herself to be consumed by hate as it does not serve any purpose.
There was some woman speaking who runs a so-called victim support group, Gaynor Bell who is the Chairperson of Support After Murder & Manslaughter (SAMM) in Merseyside. However, I don't think victims get proper support from someone like her as she is still filled with so much hate herself and they feed off each others hate like parasites sucking blood. Having heard her speak, I am surprised to note that she is on the Strategic Management Board of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements panel in Merseyside. Obviously, it is just tokenism having input from a victim. Still, I feel it does not serve justice and may lead some to feel it takes us down the road to injustice. She is a believer that prisoners do not suffer enough in prison and she would like them to suffer more. Sad woman! (SAMM Merseyside website) Some chap came on who has moved on and spoke about restorative justice which I think is a better model of providing victim support.
Then we had some narrow minded windbag of a taxi driver, and a narrow minded lorry driver neither of them had anything positive to add to the discussion and they thought it was alright to throw insults my way and libel me on air.
It was certainly lively, and there were some good points made. But, I preferred the World Service interview because the level of debate is raised when insults are not flying around distracting from the main topic.
I am tickled that there will be some taxi and lorry drivers out there tonight getting hot under the collar. That's the problem with rednecks...
You can hear the show for the next 7 days by following the listen again link below.
Link.
I will be on the Stephen Nolan show on Radio 5 Live at 10 o clock talking about the two recent cases of murder of the model and the prostitutes and whether justice/revenge is enough to satisfy the victims families or are they entitled to more.
UPDATE: There is a listen again facility for 7 days on the BBC website if anybody is interested in a audio firework display. Basically, the mother of Sally Ann Bowman spoke to the News of the Screws (and its sales would have gone up as a result) and stated how she was consumed with hate and she fed off it to keep her going. In contrast, Gee Walker has publicly stated that she forgives the killers of her son and stated that she will not allow herself to be consumed by hate as it does not serve any purpose.
There was some woman speaking who runs a so-called victim support group, Gaynor Bell who is the Chairperson of Support After Murder & Manslaughter (SAMM) in Merseyside. However, I don't think victims get proper support from someone like her as she is still filled with so much hate herself and they feed off each others hate like parasites sucking blood. Having heard her speak, I am surprised to note that she is on the Strategic Management Board of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements panel in Merseyside. Obviously, it is just tokenism having input from a victim. Still, I feel it does not serve justice and may lead some to feel it takes us down the road to injustice. She is a believer that prisoners do not suffer enough in prison and she would like them to suffer more. Sad woman! (SAMM Merseyside website) Some chap came on who has moved on and spoke about restorative justice which I think is a better model of providing victim support.
Then we had some narrow minded windbag of a taxi driver, and a narrow minded lorry driver neither of them had anything positive to add to the discussion and they thought it was alright to throw insults my way and libel me on air.
It was certainly lively, and there were some good points made. But, I preferred the World Service interview because the level of debate is raised when insults are not flying around distracting from the main topic.
I am tickled that there will be some taxi and lorry drivers out there tonight getting hot under the collar. That's the problem with rednecks...
You can hear the show for the next 7 days by following the listen again link below.
Link.
Yes there are no jobs at the Home Office
Yes there are no jobs at the Home Office
Guardian advert
Recruiting now
HOME OFFICE 0 jobs
Currently there are no jobs matching the search criteria you specified. Please enter different search criteria or use the browse to look for jobs instead.
Nobody from the Home Office was available for comment why the Home Office is recruiting now for no jobs being available. How much does this advert cost the taxpayers?
Guardian advert
Recruiting now
HOME OFFICE 0 jobs
Currently there are no jobs matching the search criteria you specified. Please enter different search criteria or use the browse to look for jobs instead.
Nobody from the Home Office was available for comment why the Home Office is recruiting now for no jobs being available. How much does this advert cost the taxpayers?
Dumb dumb dumb dumb David Cameron in a remake of Jaws
Dumb dumb dumb dumb David Cameron in a remake of Jaws
Following the reported sighting of a Great White Shark in South Africa, David Cameron is seen taking his pet surfboard for a walk along a beach in South Africa.
Following the reported sighting of a Great White Shark in South Africa, David Cameron is seen taking his pet surfboard for a walk along a beach in South Africa.
Helpline
Helpline
I like this from Charme.
Hello, and welcome to the Mental Health Hotline.
If you have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, please press 1 repeatedly.
If you suffer from Co-Dependency, please ask someone to press 2 for you.
If you have Multiple Personality Disorder, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
If you are Paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call.
If you are Delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the mother ship.
If you are Schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you which number to press.
If you are a Manic-Depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press; no one will answer.
If you suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder, please head directly to the nearest A & E. Nothing we say will make a difference anyway.
If you have a Nervous Disorder, please fidget with the hash key until a representative comes on the line.
If you suffer from Low Self-Esteem, please hang up. All our operators are too busy to take your call.
I like this from Charme.
Hello, and welcome to the Mental Health Hotline.
If you have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, please press 1 repeatedly.
If you suffer from Co-Dependency, please ask someone to press 2 for you.
If you have Multiple Personality Disorder, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
If you are Paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call.
If you are Delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the mother ship.
If you are Schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you which number to press.
If you are a Manic-Depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press; no one will answer.
If you suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder, please head directly to the nearest A & E. Nothing we say will make a difference anyway.
If you have a Nervous Disorder, please fidget with the hash key until a representative comes on the line.
If you suffer from Low Self-Esteem, please hang up. All our operators are too busy to take your call.
Overcrowded jails 'at panic stations'
Overcrowded jails 'at panic stations'
Britain's overfilled jails are at 'panic stations' as they lurch from crisis to crisis, the chief inspector of prisons warns in an Observer interview today that will make uncomfortable reading for the government.
At the end of a week in which the prison population rose above the critical 82,000 mark for the first time, Anne Owers said she was not sure how long the system 'can contain this kind of huge pressure'.
'It's very bad,' Owers said. 'As you hit each new peak, the prison system is bumping against a new crisis. For the last six months we've been looking at a system that moves from panic stations to just about containing crisis.'
She warned that disturbances within the prison system were rising as a result of overcrowding. 'My impression is the level of incidents in prisons is increasing - an indication of a system operating too near to the knuckle,' she said.
Owers normally confines her comments to her annual reports, but her decision to speak out reflects the level of concern about overcrowding. 'Prisoners are getting very frustrated; staff are struggling to survive the day. That's not a good recipe for running prisons. It's a very risky situation.'
She was scathing about the current situation, signalling that it was the fault of successive ministers. 'You wouldn't start from here if you wanted to create a decent prison system,' she said. 'This is a result of decisions taken - or not taken - a long time ago.'
The frank comments by the government-appointed Owers reflect growing concerns that the situation in Britain's jails is out of control. The Conservatives' prisons spokesman, Nick Herbert, said her comments should be a wake-up call for the government. 'Jack Straw [the Justice Secretary] must come to parliament tomorrow to explain how he is going to deal with this crisis of the government's own making and what provision he has made for emergency capacity,' Herbert said.
The prison population normally falls over the half-term period, when fewer judges are sitting. But it has risen for two successive weeks, leaving Straw forced to make a coded appeal to magistrates to consider alternatives to jail sentences.
Straw's dramatic intervention suggests the government has at least in the short term ruled out expanding the use of early-release schemes for prisoners, something it introduced last year in a bid to alleviate overcrowding. He suggested instead that magistrates hand down more non-custodial sentences.
But that call has prompted anger in certain quarters. 'We see big problems with provisions for both the prison and probation services,' said Cindy Barnett, chairman of the Magistrates Association. 'We already use community penalties far more than custody.'
The Probation Service warned that it did not have the resources to handle a sudden influx of offenders if they are diverted from prison to community sentences. 'Both probation and prison are full,' said Harry Fletcher of the probation officers' union, Napo. 'Unless the government finds funds to support probation and prisons, sentencing will be completely undermined.'
Experts suggest it is only a matter of time before the government is forced to release more prisoners early.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
NOMS sense or nonesense?
NOMS sense or nonesense?
There is a saying: "When you're in a hole, stop digging". Is the National Offender Management System (NOMS) attempting to reach Australia to solve its problems? Penal history shows that between 1788 and 1868 the UK transported convicted criminals to found and inhabit penal colonies. Today, this approach is out of the question. So, why does NOMS continue digging this hole?
According to NOMS: our aims
# Protect the public
# Reduce re-offending
# Punish offenders
# Rehabilitate offenders
# Ensure victims feel justice has been done
Surely, reducing re-offending and rehabilitation of offenders comes under protecting the public?
It is the role of the courts, and not Noms, to punish offenders by handing down a sentence. One of the age old problems within the Prison Service is that some prison officers saw it as their duty to punish prisoners, and this led to abuse.
Some victims will never be satisfied that justice has been done, so it will be impossible to ensure victims feel justice has been done. At best, NOMS can only seek to please the majority. I have reservations with this concept, some critics say it is a return to lynch-mob rule mentality. The whole purpose of having the courts is to remove justice/revenge from the victims.
Given that NOMS is now part of the Ministry of Justice, I am surprised that maintaining public confidence in the system is not one of the stated aims. Had it been there I would have said that first you need to have it before you can maintain it.
I find this press release disturbing:
Reorganising NOMS and HMPS following the Carter review
21.2.08
Following publication of Lord Carter of Coles review of prisons in December, it was announced that a new Board would be set up chaired by Suma Chakrabarti, Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary, to oversee work to develop and implement the proposals in the review. The Offender Management Programme Board (OMPB) has now been set up and the first meeting was held on Tuesday 22 January.
The membership of the OMPB is as follows:
Suma Chakrabarti
Lord Carter of Coles
Jeremy Beeton (Director General, Government Olympic Executive)
Ray Shostak (Head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit)
Helen Edwards
Phil Wheatley
Ursula Brennan (Director General, Corporate Performance)
Peter Brook (Head of Offender Management Programme Assurance)
Lord Justice Leveson is not a member of the OMPB but represents the judicial interest at our meetings.
Peter Brook has agreed to undertake a new role reporting to Suma as Head of Offender Management Programme Assurance. He will be responsible for quality assurance of the design and delivery of the offender management programme.
The OMPB is responsible for:
* strategic direction and oversight of the scope, organisation, management arrangements, budgets and timetable for the development and delivery of an overall offender management programme.
* ensuring the programme and all key projects within the programme are properly resourced.
* ensuring the agreed programme plan is delivered effectively and at an appropriate pace.
* advising the Justice Secretary and his Ministerial team on progress of the programme.
* ensuring the key strategic and reputational risks associated with the programme are properly identified and managed.
* ensuring an effective internal and external communication plan, and key stakeholder management strategy are developed and delivered.
The next meeting of the OMPB is on 27 February.
The reason why I find it disturbing is this:
Suma Chakrabarti's speech to the Prison Service Conference
15.2.08
Suma Chakrabarti, the Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary, spoke to Prison Governors and Chief Officers at the Prison Service conference on 7 February. His speech (new window) covers the challenges facing the Minstry of Justice and NOMS and the future direction for the department.
In particular this statement:
• Eight weeks in and still enjoying the job as much as I did on day one.
• Eight weeks ago I knew the job would be a challenge. Knew it in my head. Now with eight weeks of learning and making some decisions, I know it’s a challenge for real.
After 8 weeks this man is making decisions affecting people's lives, and having people with years of experience reporting to him, and he has not got the first clue what he is doing.
Is it any wonder that NOMS is in such a mess?
No joke this
No joke this
EXCLUSIVE
On 1st of April (All Fools Day) the present Director General of the Prison Service, Phil Wheatley, will become the Chief Executive of the restructured National Offender Management Service (Noms). He "will run public prisons and manage performance across the sector, through Service Level Agreements and formal contracts with Probation Boards and Trusts, private prisons and other service providers. Having commissioning and performance management for both prisons and probation in a single organisational structure will further drive forward joined-up offender management and deliver essential savings".
Reorganising NOMS and HMPS following the Carter review
EXCLUSIVE
On 1st of April (All Fools Day) the present Director General of the Prison Service, Phil Wheatley, will become the Chief Executive of the restructured National Offender Management Service (Noms). He "will run public prisons and manage performance across the sector, through Service Level Agreements and formal contracts with Probation Boards and Trusts, private prisons and other service providers. Having commissioning and performance management for both prisons and probation in a single organisational structure will further drive forward joined-up offender management and deliver essential savings".
Reorganising NOMS and HMPS following the Carter review
Friday, February 22, 2008
Gordon Brown defeated as Labour MPs vote for agency rights
Gordon Brown defeated as Labour MPs vote for agency rights
Labour MPs have stepped up pressure on Gordon Brown over rights for agency workers ahead of a meeting on Monday.
The list of MPs who voted in favour of the Temporary and Agency Workers Bill
Hat-Tip: Bob Piper
Labour MPs have stepped up pressure on Gordon Brown over rights for agency workers ahead of a meeting on Monday.
The list of MPs who voted in favour of the Temporary and Agency Workers Bill
Hat-Tip: Bob Piper
UK prisons now 'over-capacity'
UK prisons now 'over-capacity'
"The prison population in England and Wales has exceeded its highest normal level for the first time".
It's not that long ago that I read that the Director General of the Prison Service stated that he would not let this happen. It has now happened, so what does he intend doing about it?
"The prison population in England and Wales has exceeded its highest normal level for the first time".
It's not that long ago that I read that the Director General of the Prison Service stated that he would not let this happen. It has now happened, so what does he intend doing about it?
The public interest v the public interest
The public interest v the public interest
"CPS district crown prosecutor Peter McNaught said: “We considered this case very carefully. However, in all the circumstances, we consider that it was in the public interest to bring this case”".
"The men, from Preston, Lancashire, both of good character who had complained to police about youths terrorising their neighbourhood, were cleared by district judge Peter Ward, who said the case was “not in the public interest”".
"CPS district crown prosecutor Peter McNaught said: “We considered this case very carefully. However, in all the circumstances, we consider that it was in the public interest to bring this case”".
"The men, from Preston, Lancashire, both of good character who had complained to police about youths terrorising their neighbourhood, were cleared by district judge Peter Ward, who said the case was “not in the public interest”".
Jack Straw condoned CIA torture of suspected terrorists
Jack Straw condoned CIA torture of suspected terrorists
I watched a very uncomfortable looking Jack Straw, the Minister of Justice and former Foreign Secretary, sitting beside David Miliband, the present Foreign Secretary, as he read out his statement to the House of Commons, belatedly admitting that the government had knowledge that the CIA had used the UK to facilitate its "state-sponsored abduction" programme.
Jack Straw was clearly embarrassed, and so he should be, because he holds a closely guarded secret. That is, as Foreign Secretary, he actually condoned the use of torture by the CIA on suspected terrorists. He knew it was going on and did nothing to stop it. What is not yet clear is whether he authorised it or whether he simply allowed it to go on unchallenged. It has emerged that Jack Straw had knowledge at least as early as December 2005, because in a leaked internal Foreign Office Memo it states: "the British Government intends to take the following approach to the problem: extraordinary renditions are usually illegal, but complete confidence should be placed in the assurances provided by Ms Condoleezza Rise during her trip to Europe". Don't ask because we don't really want to know what is happening.
Long before rendition (which was usually legal) and the move to extraordinary-rendition which is illegal, between the 1970s and 1990s H.M. Prison Service operated the "Ghost Train" by which particular prisoners who were posing a control problem in the Dispersal System were temporarily transferred to Local Prisons and once there they would get a kicking-in by prison officers and the prison officers in the Dispersal Prisons would claim that it was nothing to do with them. They could not get away with it in the Dispersal Prisons because the long-term prisoners would have rioted. This is similar to extraordinary-rendition. For the suspects, with the rendition policy: "They would be read their rights, given lawyers, and put on trial". In contrast, the policy of extraordinary-rendition was designed to circumvent the due process of law. The suspects get no rights, no lawyers, no trial, and are tortured to boot.
"While it is against US law to take anyone to a country where there are "substantial grounds" for believing they will be tortured, those officials are said to have relied upon a very precise reading of that term, arguing that they could not be sure whether suspects would be tortured or not".
So, the CIA devise a policy to circumvent the due process of the law. Abduct suspects and arrange for the "ghost planes" to fly them to countries where they know beyond all reasonable doubt that they will be subjected to torture, because that is the whole purpose of the policy, and then claim that they cannot be sure whether suspects would be tortured or not? You cannot be surer than 100% positive. This leaves no room for any lingering doubt. The CIA asked the Clinton administration for permission to do this and "They said, 'Do it'". Post 9/11 the Bush administration allowed it to continue and even more suspects became subject to this abuse.
It comes down to this, Jack Straw as Foreign Secretary, allowed it to go on unchecked. Therefore, he condoned the use of torture on his watch. As the Minister responsible to Parliament and ultimately the electorate, he has been caught bang to rights. In this statement it is claimed that the CIA did not ask for Jack Straw's permission. It has already been established that Jack Straw ordered his officials not to ask. In this case, it is arguable that his silence amounted to consent. So, not only did Jack Straw condone the use of torture he also consented to its use. In my view, Jack Straw cannot and should not remain as Minister of Justice. At the very least he has turned a blind eye to a grave injustice. This is incompatible with his current role in the government. Either he should resign immediately or Gordon Brown should sack him from the Cabinet.
There's no justice - or Jack Straw would be out
Suffolk killer will die in prison
Suffolk killer will die in prison
"Steve Wright will spend the rest of his life in jail for murdering five women in Suffolk".
"Steve Wright will spend the rest of his life in jail for murdering five women in Suffolk".
Hearse clamped on way to funeral
Hearse clamped on way to funeral
"Undertakers who left their hearse unattended momentarily while they made funeral preparations were "disgusted" to find it had been clamped".
The owner of the mobile home, a Count Dracula, was unavailable for comment as he was sleeping at the time and only rises after dark.
"Undertakers who left their hearse unattended momentarily while they made funeral preparations were "disgusted" to find it had been clamped".
The owner of the mobile home, a Count Dracula, was unavailable for comment as he was sleeping at the time and only rises after dark.
Home owner sued for junk mail injury
Home owner sued for junk mail injury
"A home owner is being threatened with legal action after a woman claimed she trapped her hand in his letterbox while delivering unwanted junk mail".
Sounds to me like a junk law suit which the judge should throw straight into the wastepaper basket!
"A home owner is being threatened with legal action after a woman claimed she trapped her hand in his letterbox while delivering unwanted junk mail".
Sounds to me like a junk law suit which the judge should throw straight into the wastepaper basket!
Foreign prisoners sent home nine months early
Foreign prisoners sent home nine months early
"Foreign criminals in British prisons could be let out nine months early in an attempt to free up space.
Thousands of offenders would be eligible for removal from the country 270 days before the halfway point of their sentence, the Government said yesterday.
They will not have to serve the rest of their prison term when they arrive home.
The existing early removal scheme for foreign inmates allows offenders who are jailed for four years or less to be transferred 135 days before the mid-point of their sentence".
Send fewer to jail, Straw urges courts
"Foreign criminals in British prisons could be let out nine months early in an attempt to free up space.
Thousands of offenders would be eligible for removal from the country 270 days before the halfway point of their sentence, the Government said yesterday.
They will not have to serve the rest of their prison term when they arrive home.
The existing early removal scheme for foreign inmates allows offenders who are jailed for four years or less to be transferred 135 days before the mid-point of their sentence".
Send fewer to jail, Straw urges courts
Thursday, February 21, 2008
David Miliband misled Parliament and the public in his statement to the House of Commons on US "extraordinary-rendition" flights
David Miliband misled Parliament and the public in his statement to the House of Commons on US "extraordinary-rendition" flights
In the first place, David Miliband used the term rendition: "I would like to make a statement on US rendition operations". However, there is a clear distinction between rendition and extraordinary-rendition. "The US policy of moving suspects from one country to another without any court hearing or extradition process is thought to have begun in the Reagan era.
In those days, joint CIA and FBI teams would bring drug traffickers and terrorism suspects to the US. They would be read their rights, given lawyers, and put on trial.
In the wake of the 1993 truck bomb attack on the World Trade Centre, these detentions, known as "renditions", were largely replaced by the "extraordinary rendition" policy of taking suspects to a third country.
CIA officers combating Islamist terrorism decided that they should keep some suspects out of the US courts, for fear of jeopardising their sources, and to protect intelligence officials from other countries who did not wish to be called as witnesses".
I don't see why we should accept the Central Intelligence Agency label, because it does not do what it states on the tin. A clearer label is provided by Edward Davey of the LibDems who used the term "state-sponsored abduction" which is what it is.
I feel that the use of the word "error" is not good enough: "An error in the earlier US records search meant that these cases did not come to light". What kind of error? And what kind of search was it that produced such an error? For example, it is not an error to deliberately overlook or ignore or conceal this information.
"The Council's report also concluded that some detainees were "processed" at a secret prison on the Pacific Island of Diego Garcia, a territory that is the legal responsibility of the UK. The report says: "We are concerned that the UK government has accepted 'assurances' from US authorities to the contrary, without ever independently or transparently inquiring into the allegations themselves, or accounting to the public in a sufficiently thorough manner". Contrast this with Miliband's statement: "the US Government has assured us that no US detainees have ever been held on Diego Garcia".
David Miliband states: "I spoke myself with Secretary Rice. We both agree that the mistakes made in these two cases are not acceptable, and she shares my deep regret that this information has only just come to light. She emphasised to me that the US Government came to us with this information quickly after they discovered it". However, this information was available in 2006.
"The House and the Government will share deep disappointment at this news, and about its late emergence". Hardly news, is it? And the only late emergence here is David Miliband's statement. My deep disappointment is that Labour has tried to get away without saying anything about it. "They recognise the absolute imperative for the British Government to provide accurate information to Parliament". So, why has Labour lied to Parliament? Who are you trying to kid, Mr Miliband, with this statement? "We fully accept that the US gave us its earlier assurances in good faith. We accepted those assurances, and indeed referred to them publicly, also in good faith". In law, bad faith negates good faith. The US clearly acted in bad faith. So did Tony Blair and Jack Straw, both of whom are lawyers. There really is no excuse.
UPDATE: Shami Chakrabarti: The excuse that America didn't tell us doesn't wash
As I was saying...
In the first place, David Miliband used the term rendition: "I would like to make a statement on US rendition operations". However, there is a clear distinction between rendition and extraordinary-rendition. "The US policy of moving suspects from one country to another without any court hearing or extradition process is thought to have begun in the Reagan era.
In those days, joint CIA and FBI teams would bring drug traffickers and terrorism suspects to the US. They would be read their rights, given lawyers, and put on trial.
In the wake of the 1993 truck bomb attack on the World Trade Centre, these detentions, known as "renditions", were largely replaced by the "extraordinary rendition" policy of taking suspects to a third country.
CIA officers combating Islamist terrorism decided that they should keep some suspects out of the US courts, for fear of jeopardising their sources, and to protect intelligence officials from other countries who did not wish to be called as witnesses".
I don't see why we should accept the Central Intelligence Agency label, because it does not do what it states on the tin. A clearer label is provided by Edward Davey of the LibDems who used the term "state-sponsored abduction" which is what it is.
I feel that the use of the word "error" is not good enough: "An error in the earlier US records search meant that these cases did not come to light". What kind of error? And what kind of search was it that produced such an error? For example, it is not an error to deliberately overlook or ignore or conceal this information.
"The Council's report also concluded that some detainees were "processed" at a secret prison on the Pacific Island of Diego Garcia, a territory that is the legal responsibility of the UK. The report says: "We are concerned that the UK government has accepted 'assurances' from US authorities to the contrary, without ever independently or transparently inquiring into the allegations themselves, or accounting to the public in a sufficiently thorough manner". Contrast this with Miliband's statement: "the US Government has assured us that no US detainees have ever been held on Diego Garcia".
David Miliband states: "I spoke myself with Secretary Rice. We both agree that the mistakes made in these two cases are not acceptable, and she shares my deep regret that this information has only just come to light. She emphasised to me that the US Government came to us with this information quickly after they discovered it". However, this information was available in 2006.
"The House and the Government will share deep disappointment at this news, and about its late emergence". Hardly news, is it? And the only late emergence here is David Miliband's statement. My deep disappointment is that Labour has tried to get away without saying anything about it. "They recognise the absolute imperative for the British Government to provide accurate information to Parliament". So, why has Labour lied to Parliament? Who are you trying to kid, Mr Miliband, with this statement? "We fully accept that the US gave us its earlier assurances in good faith. We accepted those assurances, and indeed referred to them publicly, also in good faith". In law, bad faith negates good faith. The US clearly acted in bad faith. So did Tony Blair and Jack Straw, both of whom are lawyers. There really is no excuse.
UPDATE: Shami Chakrabarti: The excuse that America didn't tell us doesn't wash
As I was saying...
US lied to UK over state sponsored kidnapping
US lied to UK over state sponsored kidnapping
The Central Intelligence Agency, amongst other things, is an intelligence gathering department. In 2002, the CIA kidnapped 2 foreign nationals to fly them to Guantanamo Bay. The planes transporting them "landed on the UK dependent territory of Diego Garcia" to refuel. Why has it taken 6 years for the information to get from the CIA to the UK?
And, why did it take 6 days for Miliband to release the information? Could it be because of the big news story from Ipswich? Good day to bury bad news?
Bullshit Alert.
CIA director Mike Hayden said "given our mission, CIA could have no interest in a process destined to produce bad intelligence".
So, it was all a big mistake?
The Central Intelligence Agency, amongst other things, is an intelligence gathering department. In 2002, the CIA kidnapped 2 foreign nationals to fly them to Guantanamo Bay. The planes transporting them "landed on the UK dependent territory of Diego Garcia" to refuel. Why has it taken 6 years for the information to get from the CIA to the UK?
And, why did it take 6 days for Miliband to release the information? Could it be because of the big news story from Ipswich? Good day to bury bad news?
Bullshit Alert.
CIA director Mike Hayden said "given our mission, CIA could have no interest in a process destined to produce bad intelligence".
So, it was all a big mistake?
Killer admits murder of prisoner
Killer admits murder of prisoner
"A killer has admitted murdering a fellow inmate while on remand at Scotland's only private prison".
Ban on children held in prisons
Ban on children held in prisons
"The Scottish Government is to scrap laws which allow children under 16 to be held in jail without having been convicted of an offence".
I should fucking well think so!
"The Scottish Government is to scrap laws which allow children under 16 to be held in jail without having been convicted of an offence".
I should fucking well think so!
British justice: a family ruined
British justice: a family ruined
A chilling example of our secret State where a mother and child are forced into hiding
A chilling example of our secret State where a mother and child are forced into hiding
Robber's death could lead to murder charge
Robber's death could lead to murder charge
"A shopkeeper could be charged with murder after defending himself against an armed robber who was killed by his own knife, police said yesterday".
It beggars belief that the police could even think of sending the papers to the CPS for a decision whether to prosecute in this case. It's a waste of time and money. What jury would convict him in these circumstances?
UPDATE: No charges after robber's death
"A shopkeeper could be charged with murder after defending himself against an armed robber who was killed by his own knife, police said yesterday".
It beggars belief that the police could even think of sending the papers to the CPS for a decision whether to prosecute in this case. It's a waste of time and money. What jury would convict him in these circumstances?
UPDATE: No charges after robber's death
'Criminal abuse' of expenses by Euro-MPs
'Criminal abuse' of expenses by Euro-MPs
"A secret European Parliament report has uncovered "extensive, widespread and criminal abuse" by Euro-MPs of staff allowances worth almost £100 million a year".
What this case highlights is that the case of Derek Conway was just the tip of the iceberg.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
BNP bully Paul Staines/Guido Fawkes knocked out by Tim Ireland at Bloggerheads
BNP bully Paul Staines/Guido Fawkes knocked out by Tim Ireland at Bloggerheads
In the red corner we have Tim Ireland who has recently battled Iain Dale, Dizzy Thinks, Shane Greer and Donal Blaney.
And in the blue corner we have twice loser on Newsnight...has anybody seen Paul Staines? Guido Fawkes. It's a no show. I declare Tim Ireland a winner.
Why did the BNP/Tory chicken cross the road...
In the red corner we have Tim Ireland who has recently battled Iain Dale, Dizzy Thinks, Shane Greer and Donal Blaney.
And in the blue corner we have twice loser on Newsnight...has anybody seen Paul Staines? Guido Fawkes. It's a no show. I declare Tim Ireland a winner.
Why did the BNP/Tory chicken cross the road...
LibDems lurch to the Right of the Tories in demand that prisoners pay tax
LibDems lurch to the Right of the Tories in demand that prisoners pay tax
BTW, Cherie Blair supports prisoners to get the minimum wage
I don't know how I missed this story on Sunday, but here it is belatedly.
"CHERIE BLAIR, wife of the former prime minister, is leading a drive for prisoners to earn up to £10,000 a year doing work in jail for firms which are household names".
"Nick Herbert, the shadow justice secretary, said: “As long as proper deductions are being made I see no reason why they should not be allowed to earn a proper wage as part of a process of rehabilitating them...”".
And, rather disturbingly, the LibDems lurching to the Far Right, somewhere midway between the Tories and the BNP, "David Heath, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, said: “Convicts should be made to give a good proportion of their wages to the victims of crime”". This has echoes of Anne Widdecombe...
So, David Heath is proposing a victim tax upon prisoners? The term convicts is so last century. Has he not heard of "No taxation without representation"? When all convicted prisoners are giving their human right to vote, give me a call and we will discuss the issue. But, I'm warning you now, prisoners are sent to prison as a punishment which is the sentence of the court. By serving the sentence, prisoners are already paying the price demanded by society at large. Surely, you must be aware that punishing twice for the one offence is unlawful and a breach of human rights?
BTW, Cherie Blair supports prisoners to get the minimum wage
I don't know how I missed this story on Sunday, but here it is belatedly.
"CHERIE BLAIR, wife of the former prime minister, is leading a drive for prisoners to earn up to £10,000 a year doing work in jail for firms which are household names".
"Nick Herbert, the shadow justice secretary, said: “As long as proper deductions are being made I see no reason why they should not be allowed to earn a proper wage as part of a process of rehabilitating them...”".
And, rather disturbingly, the LibDems lurching to the Far Right, somewhere midway between the Tories and the BNP, "David Heath, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, said: “Convicts should be made to give a good proportion of their wages to the victims of crime”". This has echoes of Anne Widdecombe...
So, David Heath is proposing a victim tax upon prisoners? The term convicts is so last century. Has he not heard of "No taxation without representation"? When all convicted prisoners are giving their human right to vote, give me a call and we will discuss the issue. But, I'm warning you now, prisoners are sent to prison as a punishment which is the sentence of the court. By serving the sentence, prisoners are already paying the price demanded by society at large. Surely, you must be aware that punishing twice for the one offence is unlawful and a breach of human rights?
Mother arrested for having coffee in Starbucks
Mother arrested for having coffee in Starbucks
"An American businesswoman is fearing for her life after she was arrested for having a coffee with a male workmate in a Starbucks in Saudi Arabia".
And this is the country that Tony Blair rolled over and let blackmail us in relation to the BAE/Saudi arms scandal? In effect, Tony Blair put sharia law above English law.
"An American businesswoman is fearing for her life after she was arrested for having a coffee with a male workmate in a Starbucks in Saudi Arabia".
And this is the country that Tony Blair rolled over and let blackmail us in relation to the BAE/Saudi arms scandal? In effect, Tony Blair put sharia law above English law.
Gambler sues bookies for £2m loss
Gambler sues bookies for £2m loss
"A compulsive gambler who lost more than £2m, has begun legal action against bookmaker William Hill".
He's just trying to recoup his losses. I bet he loses this one as well!
"A compulsive gambler who lost more than £2m, has begun legal action against bookmaker William Hill".
He's just trying to recoup his losses. I bet he loses this one as well!
Lost data lets killers roam free for a year
Lost data lets killers roam free for a year
Wanted murderers and rapists were allowed to commit crimes for a year after prosecutors lost a disc containing 4,000 DNA profiles, it has emerged.
Something inside me wanted to scream I DON'T BELIEVE IT! when I read this. And ask the question, what again?
Wanted murderers and rapists were allowed to commit crimes for a year after prosecutors lost a disc containing 4,000 DNA profiles, it has emerged.
Something inside me wanted to scream I DON'T BELIEVE IT! when I read this. And ask the question, what again?
Violent criminals calmed by scent of oranges
Violent criminals calmed by scent of oranges
"Hardened criminals in the Netherlands become less aggressive and have fewer fights when exposed to the scent of oranges, a study has found.
Rotterdam police said the four week study suggested that criminals, many of them violent drug pushers, are calmer and more malleable when the perfumes are circulated through cell air vents.
The head of police social services, Herma Heester, said: "It's amazing, fighting in the cells has been dramatically reduced and we are using 10 per cent fewer sedation drugs".
Rotterdam has one of the highest crime rates in the Netherlands, with violent drug-related crimes accounting for more than half of arrests".
Whatever will they think of next?
Why was a Tory MP stoned driving around a housing estate at midnight looking for under aged children who had been drinking?
Why was a Tory MP stoned driving around a housing estate at midnight looking for under aged children who had been drinking?
Mr Elwood, one half of the Blues Brothers, moonlights to supplement his income by doing gigs.
Labour's smacking laws could be 'unworkable'
Labour's smacking laws could be 'unworkable'
"Senior judges want parents who are taken to court for smacking their children to be treated leniently.
A mother or father who does not intend to hurt their child should get only light sentences, new advice for the courts is expected to say.
The recommendations could make Labour's laws on smacking effectively unworkable".
What utter bollocks!
This makes me so angry.
Violence against children is not acceptable in a so-called civilised society.
The whole purpose of hitting a child is to hurt the child, therefore the intent was to hurt the child, the necessary element which makes it a criminal offence.
Parliament removed the defence of reasonable chastisement because some parents were unable to control themselves when inflicting pain upon a child and went overboard leaving marks upon the child and then claiming it was reasonable.
It is trying to make a mockery of the law, and Lord Phillips should know better, to advise that judges ignore the will of Parliament. If Lord Philips is in favour of violence towards children, perhaps he should be removed from his post until he has been seen by a psychiatrist and it is decided that he is no longer a danger to society, particularly, to children?
"Senior judges want parents who are taken to court for smacking their children to be treated leniently.
A mother or father who does not intend to hurt their child should get only light sentences, new advice for the courts is expected to say.
The recommendations could make Labour's laws on smacking effectively unworkable".
What utter bollocks!
This makes me so angry.
Violence against children is not acceptable in a so-called civilised society.
The whole purpose of hitting a child is to hurt the child, therefore the intent was to hurt the child, the necessary element which makes it a criminal offence.
Parliament removed the defence of reasonable chastisement because some parents were unable to control themselves when inflicting pain upon a child and went overboard leaving marks upon the child and then claiming it was reasonable.
It is trying to make a mockery of the law, and Lord Phillips should know better, to advise that judges ignore the will of Parliament. If Lord Philips is in favour of violence towards children, perhaps he should be removed from his post until he has been seen by a psychiatrist and it is decided that he is no longer a danger to society, particularly, to children?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Pcs' 'squabble' over police van
Pcs' 'squabble' over police van
"A police officer punched a colleague in the face following a "petty squabble" over who was going to drive a force van, Newport Crown Court has heard".
"Pc Emerson-Thomas wanted first go in the van because it was fitted with a new radio, the jury was told".
God almighty! There is crime on the streets to be tackled and these fucking idiots are fighting over wanting to be first to play with a new radio?
The report describes them both as being 37 year old. Is this a misprint? Shouldn't that be 7 year old?
UPDATE: Pc cleared over colleague attack
"A police officer has been cleared of wounding a colleague in an argument over who should drive a force van".
"A police officer punched a colleague in the face following a "petty squabble" over who was going to drive a force van, Newport Crown Court has heard".
"Pc Emerson-Thomas wanted first go in the van because it was fitted with a new radio, the jury was told".
God almighty! There is crime on the streets to be tackled and these fucking idiots are fighting over wanting to be first to play with a new radio?
The report describes them both as being 37 year old. Is this a misprint? Shouldn't that be 7 year old?
UPDATE: Pc cleared over colleague attack
"A police officer has been cleared of wounding a colleague in an argument over who should drive a force van".
SUCK MY DICK FUCK FACE - No charge
SUCK MY DICK FUCK FACE - No charge
Why nobody should eat in Joe Delucci's Italian restaurant in Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire.
"A restaurant owner has apologised after diners had their very own F word experience - without Gordon Ramsay".
I am sorry, but the apology is not good enough.
"Joe Delucci's owner Mr Langsdon said the message had been meant to be seen only by kitchen staff and he did not know how it ended up as an item on the receipt".
So, it's common practice in your restaurant for staff to insult diners behind their back on the copy of the receipt sent to the kitchen? Only this time, there was a mix up and the diners got the copy meant for the kitchen staff to get their amusement? And, you have the affront to add a 10% service charge to be insulted?
Would you go back and give them a chance to spit in your food?
Why nobody should eat in Joe Delucci's Italian restaurant in Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire.
"A restaurant owner has apologised after diners had their very own F word experience - without Gordon Ramsay".
I am sorry, but the apology is not good enough.
"Joe Delucci's owner Mr Langsdon said the message had been meant to be seen only by kitchen staff and he did not know how it ended up as an item on the receipt".
So, it's common practice in your restaurant for staff to insult diners behind their back on the copy of the receipt sent to the kitchen? Only this time, there was a mix up and the diners got the copy meant for the kitchen staff to get their amusement? And, you have the affront to add a 10% service charge to be insulted?
Would you go back and give them a chance to spit in your food?
Killer flees from security guards
Killer flees from security guards
"A "extremely dangerous" prisoner is on the run after threatening security guards while being treated in hospital".
Sorry, but if he is deemed to be "extremely dangerous", then why was his security cover so low? I suspect it was a two guard escort. In England, those deemed to be extremely dangerous are placed in Category 'A' status and have a minimum of 5 guards escorting him.
It is more likely that his escape will prove extremely embarrassing for the Scottish Prison Service.
UPDATE: Police recapture escaped killer
"A "extremely dangerous" prisoner is on the run after threatening security guards while being treated in hospital".
Sorry, but if he is deemed to be "extremely dangerous", then why was his security cover so low? I suspect it was a two guard escort. In England, those deemed to be extremely dangerous are placed in Category 'A' status and have a minimum of 5 guards escorting him.
It is more likely that his escape will prove extremely embarrassing for the Scottish Prison Service.
UPDATE: Police recapture escaped killer
Tory blogger Iain Dale caught exposing himself
Tory blogger Iain Dale caught exposing himself
The homosexual Tory blogger Iain Dale has been caught exposing himself in public for what he is in private. This is Iain Dale's blog. If you follow the link you will note that just under the header there are a series of links which take you to other pages on the blog, for example, Rules. I like rules. They are designed to let people know just where they stand. Or not, as the case may be. One of the things about the Prison Service that used to get me going was after making its own rules its failure to adhere to them. It is the same with Iain Dale. He states: "I welcome a healthy debate on this blog". This is a blatant lie. Because there is evidence that he has deliberately set out to stifle debate. Moreover, he states: "It's what blogging is all about". It's one thing stating this, and then doing the exact opposite in practice. This is blatant hypocrisy. I have only just started, but to recap, Iain Dale is both a liar and a hypocrite. These are his words, not mine, he goes on to state: "Strongly worded comments are acceptable, but libellous ones are not". Again, these are not true. In the first instance, Iain Dale operates a comment moderation policy whereby if certain individuals attempt to publish strongly worded comments he refuses to let them be published by deleting them beforehand. In the second place, he allows libellous ones through from certain individuals. So, what he says is ok is not ok. And, what he says is not ok is ok. Rules are meant to add clarity not obscure visibility. What Iain Dale has done by making and publishing these rules is issue a public statement, to the effect, that he is open and honest. Nothing could be further from the truth, behind his lies is a hidden agenda. He is claiming that he is fair, however, the opposite is the case he is unfair.
"If I feel that any comment could be contrued (sic) as libellous I will not allow it through comment moderation.
Swearing is banned on this blog. If you use a swear word in your comment, again, it is liable to be deleted without explanation.
Anonymous posting is allowed, but if it is insulting to me or other people posting in the thread I reserve the right not to allow it through".
I have already covered that Iain Dale allows certain people to post libellous comments, he does allow swearing but has drawn the line at the use of cunt. Probably, because he does not know what one is. It would appear, that what Iain Dale considers as insulting to him is what a fair minded person would consider as fair comment. On the other hand, what a fair minded person would consider as an insult to other people Iain Dale considers as fair comment, particularly, if it is directed at certain people who he has unfairly taken a dislike to.
"Please try to be as polite as possible. People seem to think that the internet can be used to say things to people which you wold never dream of saying to their face. Strong argument is welcomed, but please try to steer clear of personal insults where possible". In spite of his plea, certain people ignore this and he allows them to get away with it, time and time and time again. Despite stating that strong argument is welcome, either Iain Dale directly stifles this or via his sockpuppets indirectly stifles it.
"If any of these rules are continually transgressed I reserve the right to ban an individual from posting further comments". As already stated, Iain Dale allows certain people to continually transgress his rules, and whilst he states he reserves the right to ban them he does not exercise this right. Rather, Iain Dale has decided to ban certain people who have not transgressed his rules once let alone continually.
"In short, I reserve the right to delete any comment made on this blog with no explanation. This is a debating forum which I have created and if people do not like my rules they should feel free not to participate.
If you have suggestions for further rules of engagement, please feel free to leave them in the comments on this thread.
COMMENTERS ON A YELLOW CARD
None
RED CARDED
Tim Ireland (permanently)
Jailhouselawyer (John Hirst)".
Whatever else Iain Dale claims his blog is, it is not a debating forum. It is very one sided. Even the Oxford University Students Union allowed the BNP to debate and did not ban them from speaking. Recently, Iain Dale blogged this post. And this is a comment of mine, in keeping with the post, he did not allow through "I think it is time that Iain Dale is whipped for his misconduct, by someone he is paying proper attention to, in this case Iain Martin. It also provided me with the perfect opportunity to whup Iain Dale in a fairer forum than Iain Dale provides on his own blog. The chickens have come home to roost and its no surprise that a bad egg has been found in the basket". I think that people will agree that such a comment was not worthy of being deleted in the first instance, and certainly not worthy of being banned and sent off the playing field. The odd thing is, like an ASBO, its an honour. It was the second such comment that did not get through Iain Dale's comment moderation policy. So I checked his banned list and there was still only Tim Ireland on it. Today, I looked again, only to discover I had been banned. There's nowt as queer as folk. No notice, no warning, no insult, no swearing, just shown the red card sometime later with no explanation. Could it just be for conduct not in relation to posting comments on Iain Dale's blog? Has Iain Dale never heard of or watched Bremner, Bird and Fortune? I suspect it is this and this which has got Iain Dale's knickers in a twist, being a drama queen, and throwing a hissy fit. The first link was in response to his new look blog and in particular his rules which he does not stick to, and the second to a new magazine called Total Politics which he intends to publish. In my view, if Iain Dale cannot take it (except up the bum) then he should not dish it out.
The homosexual Tory blogger Iain Dale has been caught exposing himself in public for what he is in private. This is Iain Dale's blog. If you follow the link you will note that just under the header there are a series of links which take you to other pages on the blog, for example, Rules. I like rules. They are designed to let people know just where they stand. Or not, as the case may be. One of the things about the Prison Service that used to get me going was after making its own rules its failure to adhere to them. It is the same with Iain Dale. He states: "I welcome a healthy debate on this blog". This is a blatant lie. Because there is evidence that he has deliberately set out to stifle debate. Moreover, he states: "It's what blogging is all about". It's one thing stating this, and then doing the exact opposite in practice. This is blatant hypocrisy. I have only just started, but to recap, Iain Dale is both a liar and a hypocrite. These are his words, not mine, he goes on to state: "Strongly worded comments are acceptable, but libellous ones are not". Again, these are not true. In the first instance, Iain Dale operates a comment moderation policy whereby if certain individuals attempt to publish strongly worded comments he refuses to let them be published by deleting them beforehand. In the second place, he allows libellous ones through from certain individuals. So, what he says is ok is not ok. And, what he says is not ok is ok. Rules are meant to add clarity not obscure visibility. What Iain Dale has done by making and publishing these rules is issue a public statement, to the effect, that he is open and honest. Nothing could be further from the truth, behind his lies is a hidden agenda. He is claiming that he is fair, however, the opposite is the case he is unfair.
"If I feel that any comment could be contrued (sic) as libellous I will not allow it through comment moderation.
Swearing is banned on this blog. If you use a swear word in your comment, again, it is liable to be deleted without explanation.
Anonymous posting is allowed, but if it is insulting to me or other people posting in the thread I reserve the right not to allow it through".
I have already covered that Iain Dale allows certain people to post libellous comments, he does allow swearing but has drawn the line at the use of cunt. Probably, because he does not know what one is. It would appear, that what Iain Dale considers as insulting to him is what a fair minded person would consider as fair comment. On the other hand, what a fair minded person would consider as an insult to other people Iain Dale considers as fair comment, particularly, if it is directed at certain people who he has unfairly taken a dislike to.
"Please try to be as polite as possible. People seem to think that the internet can be used to say things to people which you wold never dream of saying to their face. Strong argument is welcomed, but please try to steer clear of personal insults where possible". In spite of his plea, certain people ignore this and he allows them to get away with it, time and time and time again. Despite stating that strong argument is welcome, either Iain Dale directly stifles this or via his sockpuppets indirectly stifles it.
"If any of these rules are continually transgressed I reserve the right to ban an individual from posting further comments". As already stated, Iain Dale allows certain people to continually transgress his rules, and whilst he states he reserves the right to ban them he does not exercise this right. Rather, Iain Dale has decided to ban certain people who have not transgressed his rules once let alone continually.
"In short, I reserve the right to delete any comment made on this blog with no explanation. This is a debating forum which I have created and if people do not like my rules they should feel free not to participate.
If you have suggestions for further rules of engagement, please feel free to leave them in the comments on this thread.
COMMENTERS ON A YELLOW CARD
None
RED CARDED
Tim Ireland (permanently)
Jailhouselawyer (John Hirst)".
Whatever else Iain Dale claims his blog is, it is not a debating forum. It is very one sided. Even the Oxford University Students Union allowed the BNP to debate and did not ban them from speaking. Recently, Iain Dale blogged this post. And this is a comment of mine, in keeping with the post, he did not allow through "I think it is time that Iain Dale is whipped for his misconduct, by someone he is paying proper attention to, in this case Iain Martin. It also provided me with the perfect opportunity to whup Iain Dale in a fairer forum than Iain Dale provides on his own blog. The chickens have come home to roost and its no surprise that a bad egg has been found in the basket". I think that people will agree that such a comment was not worthy of being deleted in the first instance, and certainly not worthy of being banned and sent off the playing field. The odd thing is, like an ASBO, its an honour. It was the second such comment that did not get through Iain Dale's comment moderation policy. So I checked his banned list and there was still only Tim Ireland on it. Today, I looked again, only to discover I had been banned. There's nowt as queer as folk. No notice, no warning, no insult, no swearing, just shown the red card sometime later with no explanation. Could it just be for conduct not in relation to posting comments on Iain Dale's blog? Has Iain Dale never heard of or watched Bremner, Bird and Fortune? I suspect it is this and this which has got Iain Dale's knickers in a twist, being a drama queen, and throwing a hissy fit. The first link was in response to his new look blog and in particular his rules which he does not stick to, and the second to a new magazine called Total Politics which he intends to publish. In my view, if Iain Dale cannot take it (except up the bum) then he should not dish it out.
Comedy of terrors
Comedy of terrors
"Five men have been convicted for being part of an alleged terrorist cell in Birmingham. The group's leader has been jailed for life".
It does not help our overcrowded prisons crisis to jail people for life for thoughts. This was not even a victim less crime. There was no identifiable victim. There was no beheading. There was not even an attempt to behead anybody. All there is is a tape recordings of somebody saying he would like to behead somebody. And a shopping list for items which can be legally bought over the counter. Things that had been legally bought over the counter, were then legally shipped abroad.
This whole war on terror has turned into a comedy of terrors.
"Five men have been convicted for being part of an alleged terrorist cell in Birmingham. The group's leader has been jailed for life".
It does not help our overcrowded prisons crisis to jail people for life for thoughts. This was not even a victim less crime. There was no identifiable victim. There was no beheading. There was not even an attempt to behead anybody. All there is is a tape recordings of somebody saying he would like to behead somebody. And a shopping list for items which can be legally bought over the counter. Things that had been legally bought over the counter, were then legally shipped abroad.
This whole war on terror has turned into a comedy of terrors.
The mad Arab and the prostitute princess Diana and the pervert judge
The mad Arab and the prostitute princess Diana and the pervert judge
I think it is one thing to hold an inquest to establish the circumstances surrounding a person's death, and quite another to allow an abuse of process to take place and turn the process into a production line churning out garbage to feed the media. From the word go, Lord Justice Scott Baker, who is known to have an unhealthy interest in the goings on inside the Bubbles "massage" parlour in Derby, does not appear to have kept a tight grip on the proceedings. I don't see why the taxpayers should pick up the very expensive bill for what is, in effect, a soapbox for a mentally deranged Arab to spew out his wild rantings.
I am not a royalist nor a supporter of the establishment, but even I believe that the line has been crossed here and by a wide margin.
I think it is a shame that our image of the people's princess has turned into one of a prostitute. She died in a car being driven by a driver the worse for wear by having drunk too much alcohol. End of story.
I think it is one thing to hold an inquest to establish the circumstances surrounding a person's death, and quite another to allow an abuse of process to take place and turn the process into a production line churning out garbage to feed the media. From the word go, Lord Justice Scott Baker, who is known to have an unhealthy interest in the goings on inside the Bubbles "massage" parlour in Derby, does not appear to have kept a tight grip on the proceedings. I don't see why the taxpayers should pick up the very expensive bill for what is, in effect, a soapbox for a mentally deranged Arab to spew out his wild rantings.
I am not a royalist nor a supporter of the establishment, but even I believe that the line has been crossed here and by a wide margin.
I think it is a shame that our image of the people's princess has turned into one of a prostitute. She died in a car being driven by a driver the worse for wear by having drunk too much alcohol. End of story.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Seeking solitary: prison gang wars force fearful inmates to plead for segregation
Seeking solitary: prison gang wars force fearful inmates to plead for segregation
"The segregation units in Britain's high security prisons used to be full of prisoners being punished for breaking the rules or being held in solitary because they were too dangerous to mix with others.
But now the "seg units" at institutions such as Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire are packed with a different kind of prisoner: those so fearful for their safety that they have asked to be isolated for their own protection".
Sunday, February 17, 2008
I spent a penny and found a pound
I spent a penny and found a pound
I went to visit my friend the judge this morning, to scrounge £20 for the gas because it ran out sometime between 6 and 9 this morning, and the temperature last night was -3 degrees. I don't normally drink whisky and ginger ale so early in the day but as it was free I poured myself a triple. This was followed by a coffee. As I left his house, I thought I should have had a pee. I was right, because as soon as I got down the "ten foot" opposite his house I needed to go. Looking down, as you do, watching the trickle stream on its way, I noticed the golden glint of a pound coin. I was reminded of the saying when someone is looking glum "What's up with you? Lost a pound and found a penny?". Here it was the other way around, I spent a penny and found a pound...
I went to visit my friend the judge this morning, to scrounge £20 for the gas because it ran out sometime between 6 and 9 this morning, and the temperature last night was -3 degrees. I don't normally drink whisky and ginger ale so early in the day but as it was free I poured myself a triple. This was followed by a coffee. As I left his house, I thought I should have had a pee. I was right, because as soon as I got down the "ten foot" opposite his house I needed to go. Looking down, as you do, watching the trickle stream on its way, I noticed the golden glint of a pound coin. I was reminded of the saying when someone is looking glum "What's up with you? Lost a pound and found a penny?". Here it was the other way around, I spent a penny and found a pound...
You can go for miles and miles and miles...
You can go for miles and miles and miles...
According to Michael Martin, like Derek Conway before him, charity begins at home. That is, "Ministers are banned from using air miles accrued on official trips, and are expected to put them towards reducing the cost of future ministerial travel or donate them to charity".
According to Michael Martin, like Derek Conway before him, charity begins at home. That is, "Ministers are banned from using air miles accrued on official trips, and are expected to put them towards reducing the cost of future ministerial travel or donate them to charity".
David Cameron: "I agree with Bush waterboarding is not torture"
David Cameron: "I agree with Bush waterboarding is not torture"
Is David Cameron hiding his manboobs from the paparazzi?
Guantanamo Bay Watch?
Photo: Daily Mail
Is David Cameron hiding his manboobs from the paparazzi?
Guantanamo Bay Watch?
Photo: Daily Mail
Former hunger striker Hughes dies
Former hunger striker Hughes dies
"The former hunger striker and IRA commander Brendan Hughes has died in hospital".
"The former hunger striker and IRA commander Brendan Hughes has died in hospital".
These catch-all terror laws are killing off British justice
These catch-all terror laws are killing off British justice
"Slowly, oh so slowly, Britain’s judges are rescuing Britain’s values from the depths to which Tony Blair and his home secretaries plunged them in the knee-jerk response to terrorism. The acts passed by Jack Straw, David Blunkett and Charles Clarke from 2000 onwards did not create a British Guantanamo Bay, but they did signal a shocking collapse in British justice. The present home secretary, Jacqui Smith, wants to further that collapse".
"Slowly, oh so slowly, Britain’s judges are rescuing Britain’s values from the depths to which Tony Blair and his home secretaries plunged them in the knee-jerk response to terrorism. The acts passed by Jack Straw, David Blunkett and Charles Clarke from 2000 onwards did not create a British Guantanamo Bay, but they did signal a shocking collapse in British justice. The present home secretary, Jacqui Smith, wants to further that collapse".
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Prison Numbers Reach All Time High
Prison Numbers Reach All Time High
"The latest Ministry of Justice figures have revealed British prisons are only 102 places away from reaching their 82,020 capacity".
Well, Jack Straw, Minister of Justice, and the man legally responsible for this mess, what do you intend doing about it? What's that you say, nothing? The problem will not go away by ignoring it. Pull your finger out man!
Last week the BBC reported this. And, once again, Mark Leech, the editor of ConVerse plagarised the article verbatim from the BBC website, and published it on page 9 of ConVerse and is claiming authorship. Is there no end to this man's dishonesty? On the same page he writes: "Converse may be hard hitting, that is what this newspaper sets out to be: direct, honest, forthright and accurate, but it will always stay within the law...". How is copyright theft honest and within the law? Perhaps Mark Leech would like to explain, as I'm buggered if I know the answer.
"The latest Ministry of Justice figures have revealed British prisons are only 102 places away from reaching their 82,020 capacity".
Well, Jack Straw, Minister of Justice, and the man legally responsible for this mess, what do you intend doing about it? What's that you say, nothing? The problem will not go away by ignoring it. Pull your finger out man!
Last week the BBC reported this. And, once again, Mark Leech, the editor of ConVerse plagarised the article verbatim from the BBC website, and published it on page 9 of ConVerse and is claiming authorship. Is there no end to this man's dishonesty? On the same page he writes: "Converse may be hard hitting, that is what this newspaper sets out to be: direct, honest, forthright and accurate, but it will always stay within the law...". How is copyright theft honest and within the law? Perhaps Mark Leech would like to explain, as I'm buggered if I know the answer.
Hunt after rapist flees hospital
Hunt after rapist flees hospital
"A convicted rapist has escaped for the second time from the same south east London hospital, police said".
Allowing him to escape once is bad enough, allowing him to escape twice is a disgrace.
UPDATE: Ronknee is a sick bastard, he claims to have found the escaped rapist...
Guantanamo 'show trial' looms for UK resident
Guantanamo 'show trial' looms for UK resident
"Britain is having secret talks with Washington in a final attempt to stop a UK resident being charged with terror offences and brought before what has been described as a "show trial" at Guantanamo Bay".
If it is true that this man was arrested for having the wrong passport, then there are the appropriate laws for dealing with this matter, it is wrong that he was detained in Guantanamo Bay and tortured into making a false confession.
He should be released immediately.
"Britain is having secret talks with Washington in a final attempt to stop a UK resident being charged with terror offences and brought before what has been described as a "show trial" at Guantanamo Bay".
If it is true that this man was arrested for having the wrong passport, then there are the appropriate laws for dealing with this matter, it is wrong that he was detained in Guantanamo Bay and tortured into making a false confession.
He should be released immediately.
'Asylum' for 1,500 Iraqi interpreters
'Asylum' for 1,500 Iraqi interpreters
"Up to 1,500 Iraqis who worked as interpreters for British Armed Forces are to be flown to Britain, it was claimed last night.
The Iraqi interpreters and their families will be settled in two unnamed northern cities from April.
The resettlement operation, being co-ordinated by the Home Office, is alleged to be far bigger than previously thought - it had been reported that fewer than 100 interpreters would be affected.
Gordon Brown agreed to grant asylum to interpreters last year after it was disclosed that the lives of those working for the military in Iraq were in danger".
At last it appears that the government has come to its senses over this affair.
"Up to 1,500 Iraqis who worked as interpreters for British Armed Forces are to be flown to Britain, it was claimed last night.
The Iraqi interpreters and their families will be settled in two unnamed northern cities from April.
The resettlement operation, being co-ordinated by the Home Office, is alleged to be far bigger than previously thought - it had been reported that fewer than 100 interpreters would be affected.
Gordon Brown agreed to grant asylum to interpreters last year after it was disclosed that the lives of those working for the military in Iraq were in danger".
At last it appears that the government has come to its senses over this affair.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Iain Dale whipped and whupped and his friend Derek Conway gets it too
Iain Dale whipped and whupped and his friend Derek Conway gets it too
Normally I am against corporal punishment. But when the miscreant is Iain Dale and the person inflicting the well deserved punishment is Iain Martin, I found myself cuming with excitement at his very public humiliation. He has been getting stick from the Left and Centre, and now he is getting it from the Right as well. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Unhappy landing Iain!
The disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway, who Iain Dale attempted to defend because he is a friend, even though he is obviously bad company, has fallen even further from grace. I can feel myself cuming again...
UPDATE: What did you find wrong with this criticism @10.04pm which caused you to not let it through your comment moderation policy, Iain Dale? "I think it is time that Iain Dale is whipped for his misconduct, by someone he is paying proper attention to, in this case Iain Martin. It also provided me with the perfect opportunity to whup Iain Dale in a fairer forum than Iain Dale provides on his own blog. The chickens have come home to roost and its no surprise that a bad egg has been found in the basket".
Normally I am against corporal punishment. But when the miscreant is Iain Dale and the person inflicting the well deserved punishment is Iain Martin, I found myself cuming with excitement at his very public humiliation. He has been getting stick from the Left and Centre, and now he is getting it from the Right as well. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Unhappy landing Iain!
The disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway, who Iain Dale attempted to defend because he is a friend, even though he is obviously bad company, has fallen even further from grace. I can feel myself cuming again...
UPDATE: What did you find wrong with this criticism @10.04pm which caused you to not let it through your comment moderation policy, Iain Dale? "I think it is time that Iain Dale is whipped for his misconduct, by someone he is paying proper attention to, in this case Iain Martin. It also provided me with the perfect opportunity to whup Iain Dale in a fairer forum than Iain Dale provides on his own blog. The chickens have come home to roost and its no surprise that a bad egg has been found in the basket".
You can look to the heavens Boris...
You can look to the heavens Boris...
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2008/02/telegraph-column-boris-must-win.html
idea: jailhouselawyer
photoshop: Ronknee
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2008/02/telegraph-column-boris-must-win.html
idea: jailhouselawyer
photoshop: Ronknee
Why British injustice is the best in the world
Why British injustice is the best in the world
I was disturbed to learn on Newsnight last night that even though this man has been cleared by the British courts of any terrorist involvement in training the pilots of the 9/11 attacks, there remains an outstanding international arrest warrant seeking his extradition to the USA.
In the same way that the Twin Towers collapsed, Bush's war against terror has collapsed because the foundations upon which it was based is on very shaky legal ground.
What is disturbing about this case, is the claim by the Crown Prosecution Service that they were not representing the people of this country Great Britain whom they are supposed to represent, rather the CPS was representing the USA or at least the Bush regime. And, we know what a load of terrorist torturing bastards they are. Luckily for Mr Raissi British injustice began for him prior to Britain and America signing the Extradition treaty of 2003, otherwise he could well have been detained in Guantanamo Bay and if ever brought to trial could have been executed and not a shred of evidence being produced.
This case should be a wake up call to Great Britain to shake off its underdog role to America and the Bush regime. However, having heard the perverse comments made by Melanie Fibs on Questiontime last night where she claimed to speak with greater authority than the Court of Appeal who's decision to quash the convictions of so-called terrorists she labelled as being perverse. Who the fuck does this cow think she is?
Speaking of which, when does Jacqui Smith intend to formally and publicly apologise to Mr Raissi for the abuse he has suffered at the hands of the injustice within our legal system?
I was disturbed to learn on Newsnight last night that even though this man has been cleared by the British courts of any terrorist involvement in training the pilots of the 9/11 attacks, there remains an outstanding international arrest warrant seeking his extradition to the USA.
In the same way that the Twin Towers collapsed, Bush's war against terror has collapsed because the foundations upon which it was based is on very shaky legal ground.
What is disturbing about this case, is the claim by the Crown Prosecution Service that they were not representing the people of this country Great Britain whom they are supposed to represent, rather the CPS was representing the USA or at least the Bush regime. And, we know what a load of terrorist torturing bastards they are. Luckily for Mr Raissi British injustice began for him prior to Britain and America signing the Extradition treaty of 2003, otherwise he could well have been detained in Guantanamo Bay and if ever brought to trial could have been executed and not a shred of evidence being produced.
This case should be a wake up call to Great Britain to shake off its underdog role to America and the Bush regime. However, having heard the perverse comments made by Melanie Fibs on Questiontime last night where she claimed to speak with greater authority than the Court of Appeal who's decision to quash the convictions of so-called terrorists she labelled as being perverse. Who the fuck does this cow think she is?
Speaking of which, when does Jacqui Smith intend to formally and publicly apologise to Mr Raissi for the abuse he has suffered at the hands of the injustice within our legal system?
George W Bush is a terrorist and should be impeached
George W Bush is a terrorist and should be impeached
The BBC may be congratulating itself on its Matt Frei interview with George W Bush, parts of which were shown last night on both BBC 1 10 O'Clock News and BBC 2 Newsnight. However, I smell a rat and it stinks to high heaven. Matt Frei was feeding lines to George W Bush like a comedy double act and George W Bush delivered the punchlines from a pre-arranged script. Only it wasn't funny. He was being given the opportunity at the TV Licence payers expense to get his message across. It was pure propaganda. People may remember it was not that long ago, under Margaret Thatcher, that members of Sinn Féin/IRA being interviewed would have their voices over dubbed by the voices of actors. Admittedly, at the time, I thought that this was a pointless exercise. But, the point I am making is that Sinn Féin/IRA were deemed to be terrorists. George W Bush claims to be fighting a war against terrorists. And yet, since 9/11, he has been acting like a terrorist himself. In my view, George W Bush should be impeached. The BBC should not be touching him with a barge pole let alone giving him the air time to pollute people with his garbage.
The BBC interview lasted just over 15 minutes and I have provided a link to it below. Fast forward it to 11 minutes and 39 seconds. Firstly, there is something wrong with the American Constitution if it gives a mad man like George W Bush the power "to veto a bill passed by the US Senate outlawing the interrogation technique of water-boarding". Let us make no mistake water-boarding is a form of torture, and torture is against the law in America. Matt Frei did not conduct a balanced interview and the BBC did not provide a balanced report, George W Bush's answers went unchallenged. There should be an inquiry into the BBC's conduct.
George W Bush stated that "Whatever we do will be legal". Torture is not legal, waterboarding is torture, it is not legal. There is an obvious conflict in what George W Bush is stating and yet the BBC let this go unchallenged. In fact, George W Bush used the term legal or law 7 times to describe what his regime will do. However, in an attempt to justify his breaking the law, he first blamed the American people for wanting effective measures for dealing with terrorists. So, his answer to them and the rest of the world is only by breaking the law can the American government be effective against terrorism and terrorists. This is like Dwain Chambers stating only those who illegally take dope can win Olympic medals. That makes it alright then does it? And, terrorists state that only by breaking the law can they achieve their aims. This means that there is no difference between what the terrorists advocate and what George W Bush advocates, therefore he is a terrorist. He is putting himself and his government above the law or outside of the law whichever way you choose to look at it it is not within the law. What George W Bush is stating when he says "When we within the law interrogate", he is really saying because we are in power we can use torture and that makes it legal. I beg to differ. This is a classic abuse of power and not use of power. This is like Hitler saying we can gas 6,000,000 jews etc because we are in power and that allows us to do whatever we like to push through our policy of effectively achieving the Master Race. As long as it was happening to a sub human species the Germans, like Americans, buried their heads in the sand. The Bush regime first dehumanised the terrorists and those they suspected of terrorist activity to justify their treatment of them. The kidnapping of foreign nationals and detaining them without charge and trial for years on end in Guantánamo Bay is unlawful. To add insult to injury these people were physically and psychologically tortured by the Bush regime.
"And we get information that protects ourselves and possibly other nations". But, America isn't being attacked and hasn't been attacked since 9/11. So, its alright to torture possibly innocent people until they confess to whatever charges the interrogators put to them? Who wouldn't say whatever to end the torture? This does not make them guilty of anything. His answer to his critics "Which attack would they hope we hadn't prevented". Climate of fear. This is a weapon of terrorists. Here it is being employed by the Bush regime. "So, the United States will act within the law". The problem is that the United States is not acting within the law on this issue. Wake up and smell the coffee. "We'll make sure the professionals have the necessary tools to do the job within the law". The Bush regime uses the CIA and Military (professionals), in effect, get on with the job, we don't care how you do it we just want results and we won't question your methods. This is called administrative convenience, and often it comes into conflict with the law. What Bush is doing is employing the broken record technique. If he repeats the saying within the law enough times he hopes that the American people will become hypnotised into believing what he is saying is the truth. Have they already forgotten Richard Milhouse Nixon and Watergate. Would they buy a used car from him? So, why are they buying George W Bush's Terrorgate? He claims that he is "sending a signal that America is going to respect the law". That's not the signal I am picking up on this side of the Atlantic George. Your language says this but your actions are the complete opposite. That makes you both a liar and a hypocrite. Moreover, it makes you dangerous and you should be removed from office. "We'll make decisions based upon law". Ok George, I'm a lawyer of sorts, you've made a decision to torture people whom you suspect of terrorist activity, can you now point to the place in your law books that states torture is legal in the States? "There's people in Guantánamo that need to be tried and will be tried". So, after 5,6,7 years you've reached this decision. Have you not heard of the legal principle 'justice delayed is justice denied'? And, there is such a thing as due process and this includes a fair trial. Not the torturing of suspects, and then putting them before a kangaroo court to create the impression that you are acting within the law.
When someone shakes their head they are indicating a negative, saying "no" to a question. George Bush did this when he said "yes" he believed that America held the high moral ground. There is no moral high ground in this swamp of immoral and illegal activity. George you are not wearing a suit of green, you're as naked as the day you were born.
BBC interview with George W Bush.
The BBC may be congratulating itself on its Matt Frei interview with George W Bush, parts of which were shown last night on both BBC 1 10 O'Clock News and BBC 2 Newsnight. However, I smell a rat and it stinks to high heaven. Matt Frei was feeding lines to George W Bush like a comedy double act and George W Bush delivered the punchlines from a pre-arranged script. Only it wasn't funny. He was being given the opportunity at the TV Licence payers expense to get his message across. It was pure propaganda. People may remember it was not that long ago, under Margaret Thatcher, that members of Sinn Féin/IRA being interviewed would have their voices over dubbed by the voices of actors. Admittedly, at the time, I thought that this was a pointless exercise. But, the point I am making is that Sinn Féin/IRA were deemed to be terrorists. George W Bush claims to be fighting a war against terrorists. And yet, since 9/11, he has been acting like a terrorist himself. In my view, George W Bush should be impeached. The BBC should not be touching him with a barge pole let alone giving him the air time to pollute people with his garbage.
The BBC interview lasted just over 15 minutes and I have provided a link to it below. Fast forward it to 11 minutes and 39 seconds. Firstly, there is something wrong with the American Constitution if it gives a mad man like George W Bush the power "to veto a bill passed by the US Senate outlawing the interrogation technique of water-boarding". Let us make no mistake water-boarding is a form of torture, and torture is against the law in America. Matt Frei did not conduct a balanced interview and the BBC did not provide a balanced report, George W Bush's answers went unchallenged. There should be an inquiry into the BBC's conduct.
George W Bush stated that "Whatever we do will be legal". Torture is not legal, waterboarding is torture, it is not legal. There is an obvious conflict in what George W Bush is stating and yet the BBC let this go unchallenged. In fact, George W Bush used the term legal or law 7 times to describe what his regime will do. However, in an attempt to justify his breaking the law, he first blamed the American people for wanting effective measures for dealing with terrorists. So, his answer to them and the rest of the world is only by breaking the law can the American government be effective against terrorism and terrorists. This is like Dwain Chambers stating only those who illegally take dope can win Olympic medals. That makes it alright then does it? And, terrorists state that only by breaking the law can they achieve their aims. This means that there is no difference between what the terrorists advocate and what George W Bush advocates, therefore he is a terrorist. He is putting himself and his government above the law or outside of the law whichever way you choose to look at it it is not within the law. What George W Bush is stating when he says "When we within the law interrogate", he is really saying because we are in power we can use torture and that makes it legal. I beg to differ. This is a classic abuse of power and not use of power. This is like Hitler saying we can gas 6,000,000 jews etc because we are in power and that allows us to do whatever we like to push through our policy of effectively achieving the Master Race. As long as it was happening to a sub human species the Germans, like Americans, buried their heads in the sand. The Bush regime first dehumanised the terrorists and those they suspected of terrorist activity to justify their treatment of them. The kidnapping of foreign nationals and detaining them without charge and trial for years on end in Guantánamo Bay is unlawful. To add insult to injury these people were physically and psychologically tortured by the Bush regime.
"And we get information that protects ourselves and possibly other nations". But, America isn't being attacked and hasn't been attacked since 9/11. So, its alright to torture possibly innocent people until they confess to whatever charges the interrogators put to them? Who wouldn't say whatever to end the torture? This does not make them guilty of anything. His answer to his critics "Which attack would they hope we hadn't prevented". Climate of fear. This is a weapon of terrorists. Here it is being employed by the Bush regime. "So, the United States will act within the law". The problem is that the United States is not acting within the law on this issue. Wake up and smell the coffee. "We'll make sure the professionals have the necessary tools to do the job within the law". The Bush regime uses the CIA and Military (professionals), in effect, get on with the job, we don't care how you do it we just want results and we won't question your methods. This is called administrative convenience, and often it comes into conflict with the law. What Bush is doing is employing the broken record technique. If he repeats the saying within the law enough times he hopes that the American people will become hypnotised into believing what he is saying is the truth. Have they already forgotten Richard Milhouse Nixon and Watergate. Would they buy a used car from him? So, why are they buying George W Bush's Terrorgate? He claims that he is "sending a signal that America is going to respect the law". That's not the signal I am picking up on this side of the Atlantic George. Your language says this but your actions are the complete opposite. That makes you both a liar and a hypocrite. Moreover, it makes you dangerous and you should be removed from office. "We'll make decisions based upon law". Ok George, I'm a lawyer of sorts, you've made a decision to torture people whom you suspect of terrorist activity, can you now point to the place in your law books that states torture is legal in the States? "There's people in Guantánamo that need to be tried and will be tried". So, after 5,6,7 years you've reached this decision. Have you not heard of the legal principle 'justice delayed is justice denied'? And, there is such a thing as due process and this includes a fair trial. Not the torturing of suspects, and then putting them before a kangaroo court to create the impression that you are acting within the law.
When someone shakes their head they are indicating a negative, saying "no" to a question. George Bush did this when he said "yes" he believed that America held the high moral ground. There is no moral high ground in this swamp of immoral and illegal activity. George you are not wearing a suit of green, you're as naked as the day you were born.
BBC interview with George W Bush.
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