Sunday, August 30, 2009

No oil in prisoners votes

No oil in prisoners votes

It was oil which led Tony Blair to agree to the UK joining George Bush's war in Iraq. And it was oil which led the UK to agree to Libya's demand that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi be freed in exchange for BP getting access to Libya's oil via exploration. We are assured it is all in the national interests.

Jack Straw can move when he wants to...

What a pity that there is no oil in prisoners votes...

Cat sings and plays not Elton John

Cat sings and plays not Elton John

It has long been assumed that Elton John wears a dead cat on his head. We can report, far from it being a dead cat it is actually alive and well. Moreover, as you can see from this photo it is actually the cat which composes Elton John's songs and plays the piano while Elton John mimes on stage.

Whitehall's great crime mystery

Whitehall's great crime mystery

Who knows who's in prison and where they are? Not Jack Straw. C-Nomis has turned into just another taxpayer-funded IT fiasco

"The latest admission of failure involves C-Nomis, the catchily-named computer system that is meant to provide real time access to the records of people in the penal system. Problems with the roll-out mean the Ministry of Justice has just announced that the recent publication of monthly prison population figures – which tell us how many prisoners we have and track characteristics in the custodial population like offence, sentence and age – will be delayed. The delay is indefinite. So right now, as of this minute, Jack Straw doesn't actually know who he has in his prisons".

Our criminal justice system is a shambles. So, what else is new?

Expenses fiddling MPs claim they are victims not crooks

Expenses fiddling MPs claim they are victims not crooks



MPs whose controversial claims for accommodation costs, food and furniture were exposed during the expenses scandal are claiming the status of victims instead of offenders.

Across hundreds of pages of submissions to Sir Christopher Kelly, the committee's chairman, MPs:

• Expressed continued resentment at the public's anger over the abuse of expenses.

• Accused Commons officials and Government ministers of encouraging them to "milk" the system.

• Continued to argue that they should be allowed to sell taxpayer-subsidised homes at a profit.

• Insisted they should be allowed to employ family members.

• One backbencher said he should not even be required to submit receipts for expenditure and claimed: "This makes MPs into petty accounting clerks."

They just don't get it do they? MPs resent being called crooks by the public after being caught with their snouts in the trough. And yet, they are quick to condemn and brand benefit cheats. So, their defence is peer pressure. We were encouraged to fiddle even though we knew it to be wrong and we went along with it. Hardly the plea of the innocents is it? We want to keep milking the public purse, claiming housing benefit from those less able to afford it, and then make huge personal profits from taxpayers money. And, then build up our property portfolios all at the public expense whilst at the same time stashing our ill gotten gains in our bank accounts. Like the Adams Family of London we want to keep all our criminal activities so only members of the family benefit and there is less chance of being exposed as crooks by the public. So, having to submit receipts makes MPs into petty accounting clerks does it? Evidence has shown that by not submitting them MPs are not petty crooks, but instead career criminals.

If the cap fits, wear it!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Blackberry Bank Holiday Weekend

Blackberry Bank Holiday Weekend

After breakfast it is my intention to spend several hours picking blackberries. I have already made 3 lots of jam with 9lb of berries. It now takes longer and they are harder to find and more difficult to access. When I get back I will make a couple of blackberry pies, and in the evening I will visit some friends for dinner and for sweet we will have a pie. I do have some apples to make blackberry and apple pies later.

Wire me

Wire me

I recall coming across a couple of pieces relating to The Wire, which I have never watched but I know Bob Piper has blogged on it a couple of times, example, so I emailed him the links. I did not read the pieces but scanning them with my eyes I picked out The Wire references and just sent them off.

Now blog wars has broken out again because Alex Hilton hoaxed the MSM and some bloggers.

One of the links I sent Bob Piper is this one.

Part of the blog wars has to do with journalism and churnalism, and the failure to carry out research.

I was tickled when I found this at the bottom of the Liberal Conspiracy post " About the author: This is a guest post. Paul Sagar is currently press and research assistant to Dr John Pugh, Liberal Democrat MP for Southport. He now lives in East London and is a part-time researcher for the Tax Justice Network. Paul blogs at Bad Conscience".

If I was Dr John Pugh I would be very worried...

Has Alex Hilton done a moonie?

Jaycee Lee Dugard: kidnapped woman found alive 18 years after abduction

Jaycee Lee Dugard: kidnapped woman found alive 18 years after abduction

A woman who was kidnapped when she was 11 years old and spent 18 years living in a network of hidden tents and sheds, giving birth to two children fathered by her captor, has been found alive and well.



Jaycee Lee Dugard, now aged 29, was reunited with her mother on Thursday after revealing during an interview with her kidnapper's parole officer that she was the victim of one of California's oldest unsolved crimes. It was her first known appearance in public since her abduction.

She disappeared when a man and a woman pulled her kicking and screaming into a car at a school bus stop just yards from her home in South Lake Tahoe.


"Last night a spokesman for Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, of Rothley, Leics, said they are "drawing strength" from the case". LOL!

Related content...

Jaycee Lee Dugard's garden prison: kidnapped girl spent 18 years in tents and sheds

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Prisoner transfers sparks inquiry

Prisoner transfers sparks inquiry

An urgent inquiry is under way after claims “difficult” inmates were transferred between jails possibly to deceive prison inspectors.

The transfers were first uncovered by Dame Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons, who immediately sent inspectors in to investigate “because of the seriousness of this allegation, and the implications for the prisoners involved”.


Home Affairs editor? Regurgitating the MoJ press releases more like!

I take issue with "first uncovered by Dame Anne Owers".

Never heard of the "Ghost Train"? "Merry Go Round"? "The prison on the motorway"? CI 10/74? For example, when Willie Whitelaw was Home Secretary the so-called IRA prisoners and others who may be difficult would be taken from Hull Prison and driven up the motorway to Leeds and back whilst the Home Secretary visited Hull Prison.

To prisoners this is not news, it's history.

Spectacular marine life captured under North Sea off Norfolk coast

Spectacular marine life captured under North Sea off Norfolk coast


Tompot Blenny, Parablennius gattorugine Picture: MASONS NEWS SERVICE


Violet Sea Slug - Flabellina pedata Picture: MASONS NEWS SERVICE


Divers off the coast of Norfolk have captured a series of spectacular images of the marine life beneath the North Sea, such as these Lightbulb Sea Squirts, or Clavelina lepadiformis Picture: MASONS NEWS SERVICE

Tories launch gay logo

Tories launch gay logo



Ducky House

"The Tory blue tree logo has been turned rainbow for the party’s first gay pride disco at this year’s Conservative conference".

A mystery gay guest from the shadow cabinet will attend the disco. Alan Duncan or Nick Herbert? As the former is apt to make a fool of himself in public, I would put my money on it being him.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Pay as you go to become a Lord Tory Donor

Pay as you go to become a Lord Tory Donor

Plain old Mr David Rowland has given the Tory party £1M. He said: "I made the donation as a result of my passionate concern for liberty and the economic future of Britain. We need fresh ideas, national renewal and above all a Government that sets the people free".

Nothing whatsoever to do with business favours in return then and Lord Taxdodger of Jersey?

Elected Lords could serve maximum of 15 years if found guilty

Elected Lords could serve maximum of 15 years if found guilty

Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has suggested elected members of the reformed House of Lords could be limited to serving 15-year terms





"Under plans due to be put before Parliament within months, the appointed chamber would move to a substantially or wholly elected upper house.

Mr Straw said that a third of peers – or senators as they may be called after the reforms – could be elected at the time of a general election.

None would be able to serve for more than 15 years".

BBC fobbed off by Justice Secretary

BBC fobbed off by Justice Secretary



According to the BBC report: Justice Secretary Jack Straw has defended conditions at two jails in Lancashire, after a report about prison overcrowding in England and Wales.

"The Prison Reform Trust said two-thirds of jails were over capacity. Lancaster Prison had 70 too many inmates and HMP Preston 300 too many, its report found".

"Mr Straw, who heads the government department responsible for the Prison Service, claimed the figures did not reflect the workable capacity a prison could hold".

Straw claimed: "We have increased prison capacity, we have done it in Preston and Lancaster last year and are doing so in the next 12 months".

Jack Straw has increased capacity by overcrowding which has only made tolerable conditions become intolerable. To claim those jails which are overcrowded can still be strained even further to reflect what he terms the "workable capacity" is being economical with the truth. Jack Straw is playing the numbers game. The working capacity is the Certified Normal Accommodation figure. For Preston it is 453 but is holding 757 which means it is 167% overcrowded. For Lancaster it is 159 but is holding 232 which means it is 146% overcrowded.

In short, contrary to what the BBC is reporting Jack Straw has not defended conditions in Preston and Lancaster. Given that the BBC accepts Jack Straw is the Minister responsible, why don't they ask him to defend overcrowding in accordance with s.14(2) of the Prison Act 1952? There is statutory authority for Certified Normal Accommodation, but no lawful power exists for this fictional "workable capacity" unless it means the CNA. And, as shown, the facts are that the prisons are holding far more prisoners than they are legally allowed to hold. Jack Straw is breaking the law. Why is the BBC cowardly allowing Jack Straw to get away with fobbing them off?

David Cameron strangles a puppy

David Cameron strangles a puppy



Puppy love or same old Nasty Party?

Lockerbie bomber prison concerns

Lockerbie bomber prison concerns



Conditions for inmates at the jail which until last week held Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi have been criticised in a report.

Download the report here.

It is refreshing to see that the criticisms are accepted by the Scottish Prison Service. In complete contrast, the English Prison Service is being introverted and rejecting claims of overcrowded conditions.

It's oh so cute...

It's oh so cute...


A little Fennec Fox that was born at the Everland Zoo in South Korea in September of 2008 Picture: ZOOBORNS


A pygmy marmoset at the Everland Zoo and Theme Park in South Korea
Picture: ZOOBORNS


A baby gibbon born at the Schwerin Zoo in Northern Germany, which had to be hand-reared after its mother abandoned it Picture: ZOOBORNS


A bundle of Asian Small-clawed Otter pups born at SeaWorld, Orlando
Picture: ZOOBORNS

Loads more cutie pics here.

Obituary: Ted Kennedy should rot in hell

Obituary: Ted Kennedy should rot in hell





Chappaquiddick killer,Edward Kennedy, dies of cancer. If you go to heaven, one of the angels guarding the gate with St Peter is Miss Mary Jo Kopechne. Quite apart from the rough treatment you doled out to her, there is the recent lack of mercy shown by you to a fellow cancer sufferer. Therefore, may you rot in hell!

This would make a good coffin...

Blues and Twos: Bus crash

Blues and Twos: Bus crash

A funny thing happened on the way back from the BBC1 television studio last night...

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Ministry of Justice guilty of breaking law on prisoner overcrowding

Ministry of Justice guilty of breaking law on prisoner overcrowding

Earlier today the Prison Reform Trust(PRT) published its report 20 Worst Overcrowded Prisons - building more prisons is an expensive dead end and the BBC reports Jail overcrowding claims denied

So what is the truth?

My legal advice is that prison overcrowding is unlawful. Section 14(2) of the Prison Act 1952 provides that: "No cell shall be used for the confinement of a prisoner unless it is certified by an inspector that its size, lighting, heating, ventilation and fittings are adequate for health and that it allows the prisoner to communicate at any time with a prison officer".

Note that it refers to prisoner in the singular and not plural, and that cell is referred to in the single. My interpretation of this is one prisoner in a single cell. As prisons were designed for single occupancy, I think that this interpretation is valid.

Note the "is certified by an inspector". For the cell to legally house a prisoner it must first be inspected by an inspector and a valid certificate issued to state it conforms to the standards specified in s.14(2) of the Act. This is known as the Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA).

What has happened is that some cells have not been inspected by an independent inspector. This on its own calls into question the legality of cells which have not been passed by an independent inspector. So, who has certified the cells in apparent contradiction of s.14 of the Act? As I understand the position, the cells are certified by an Area Manager. He or she is a Prison Service employee. In my view, the required independence of an inspector is absent with this arrangement. What it means is that Area Managers have acted unlawfully by certifying cells which do not conform to the standards in s.14(2) of the Act. Specifically, by sanctioning 2/3 prisoners crowded into a cell designed for 1.

It has become common practice for the Prison Service, on this issue, to break the law. However, it is not just the Area Managers who are acting unlawfully. Because prisoners are in the legal custody of the Governor by virtue of s.13(1) of the Act, he or she is legally liable for unlawful prison overcrowding. Furthermore, every time that a Prison Officer locks the door of an overcrowded cell he or she is acting unlawfully.

The PRT should be praised for raising the issue of overcrowding in prisons. However, because the organisation has charity status it is limited by not getting into the political arena. In this sense, it becomes part of the problem not the cure. Part of the Establishment. For example, the PRT report refers to Prison Service Order 1900 - Certified Prisoner Accommodation. The Prison Rules and Prison Service Orders are secondary/delegated legislation, at best, and have not been debated or passed into legislation by Parliament like the Prison Act 1952.

According to PSO 1900 “Accommodation can only legally be used for the confinement of prisoners if it has been certified in accordance with the Prison Act 1952 and the Prison Rules and Young Offender Institution Rules”.

The legal advice in relation to the Act is valid. However, it is flawed in relation to being in accordance with the Prison Rules 1999(as amended). This is because Prison Rule 26(2) is unlawful:

"Sleeping accommodation
26. - (1) No room or cell shall be used as sleeping accommodation for a prisoner unless it has been certified in the manner required by section 14 of the Prison Act 1952 in the case of a cell used for the confinement of a prisoner.

(2) A certificate given under that section or this rule shall specify the maximum number of prisoners who may sleep or be confined at one time in the room or cell to which it relates, and the number so specified shall not be exceeded without the leave of the Secretary of State".

The Executive has introduced crowded conditions into prisons unlawfully by bypassing Parliament, in effect, in changing s.14(2) of the Act. Remember the Act makes no provision for crowding. A public authority can only do that which the enabling statute allows. In prison crowding it is not allowed, and yet Prison Rule 26(2) appears to allow for prison crowding. In my view, the Act is lawful but the Prison Rule is unlawful being outside the power of the Act.

The Executive is usurping the power of Parliament. This is a constitutional issue.

Area Managers sign the certificates because it is what their employer demands.

It appear that society does not care if prisoners suffer unlawful treatment.

This is a sad indictment.

Jailhouselawyer gets interviewed on BBC1 Look North (its a few minutes in)

UPDATE: Why prison overcrowding must force policy rethink

Prisoners have not voted because they are being denied it unlawfully. If they could vote, prison overcrowding would not be a vote winner!

BNP whites only policy in legal challenge

BNP whites only policy in legal challenge

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is taking legal action against the British National Party over concerns about its admissions policy.

"The Commission issued county court proceedings against the party after voicing concerns in June about the BNP's constitution and membership criteria".

"The BNP responded by saying that it intended to clarify the word ''white'' on its website".

I look forward to seeing exactly what this clarification entails. Non-black maybe?

The Numbers Game: Prisons named and shamed for overcrowding

The Numbers Game: Prisons named and shamed for overcrowding

The Prison Reform Trust publishes its report today naming and shaming the top twenty worst offending prisons for overcrowding. And argues that ministers have become too complacent in relation to prison overcrowding which has a knock on effect of high reoffending levels.

Whilst the Minister of Justice, Jack Straw, is under a statutory obligation to ensure that sufficient accommodation is provided for all prisoners, there is no statutory authority for prison overcrowding. That is, s.14 of the Prison Act 1952 refers to one prisoner per cell and not two and three prisoners sharing a cell. Therefore, in my view, not only is it unlawful for prison overcrowding to take place it is a breach of prisoners human rights to be treated as though they are sardines in a can.

The problem of overcrowding has come about simply because magistrates and judges are sentencing too many offenders to fill too few prison spaces. Delegated legislation, Prison Service Order 1900 - Certified Prisoner Accommodation, has been amended to such a degree that it no longer complies with s.14 of the Prison Act 1952. The PSO claims to allow authority for limited overcrowding in exceptional circumstances for a limited period. However, this short term measure has gone from the exception to the norm.

When widespread abuse becomes the norm then it is time something was done to amend the situation. For example, Hull Prison has Certified Normal Accommodation for 723 prisoners but presently has 1039 prisoners which means that there is a 144% overcrowding. What is particularly shocking about this figure is that Hull is placed as the twentieth most overcrowded prison on the Prison Reform Trust's list of shame.

Viking FM story here.

UPDATE:

Two-thirds of prisons overcrowded says report

Two-thirds of prisons in England and Wales are overcrowded, figures revealed today, with some jails holding hundreds more inmates than they were built for.

Shrewsbury prison is the most overcrowded, at 179 per cent of normal capacity, followed by Swansea and Dorchester.

One of the largest prisons in England and Wales, Wandsworth in south London, is at 150 per cent capacity, with 1,650 inmates in spaces for 1107.

Overall there are 8,865 more prisoners inside the prisons system than it was designed to hold.

A total of 88 out of 140 jails were over their Certified Normal Accommodation level - defined as a providing "decent" standards.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Tomorrow's news here today...

Tomorrow's news here today...



Given tomorrow's news, in relation to our overcrowded prisons, I am wondering if Kenny MacAskill has come up with a good idea in relation to transferring prisoners to Libya?

I am doing a pre-recorded radio interview for Viking, in about half an hour, for tomorrow. And at 8am tomorrow I will be doing an interview with Radio Humberside, and at 6.30pm an interview for BBC1 Look North.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Did the flight to Libya turn the Lockerbie bomber's hair grey?

Did the flight to Libya turn the Lockerbie bomber's hair grey?




The man in the baseball cap clearly has black hair at the back which also appears thick and straight.

On the other hand, Al-Megrahi's hair is grey, thinner and crinkly.

There is also the question of how the walking stick changed from brown to a silver-topped black cane.

The one thing they have in common is a brown spot inside the left ear in roughly the same place.

If anything stinks it is Michael Portillo talking out of his arse

If anything stinks it is Michael Portillo talking out of his arse

Michael Portillo describes as a terrorist act the blowing up of Pan Am flight 103 "Apart from the many Britons killed, 189 Americans had been murdered on a plane from Heathrow". By contrast, when the US blew up an Iranian airliner with a missile, Portillo conveniently describes this act as a blunder! "In July 1988 Iran became another when, through a blunder, an American missile brought down one of its airliners".

According to Portillo, Kenny MacAskill did not release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi because he is dying with prostate cancer, rather it was "simply because he is unwell"!

Animal pictures of the week: 21 August 2009

Animal pictures of the week: 21 August 2009


A tiger cools off from summer heat in a pool at a zoo in Hefei, east China's Anhui province Picture: GETTY

Boomer the Carpathian lynx gets to grips with a toy at Newquay Zoo, Cornwall, he is being trained using techniques more commonly used with domestic pets to help staff better look after him Picture: APEX

Zookeeper Nadja Radovic kisses a 6 day old lion cub, in the lion's enclosure, at Belgrade Zoo, Serbia Picture: SRDJAN ILIC/AP

Billy the eagle owl supposedly loves his regular shower to help keep him cool in warm weather Picture: MIKE WALKER

The price of oil justice

The price of oil justice

The Libyan man convicted of Britain's worst terrorist act and described as the biggest mass murderer in British legal history,Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, has been released from prison on compassionate grounds by Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. According to Fraser Nelson "There's no question of his guilt: the evidence against him was overwhelming". However, Dr Hans Köchler, one of the UN observers at the trial, expressed serious doubts about the fairness of the proceedings and spoke of a "spectacular miscarriage of justice".

Given that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi appears to have been a convenient scapegoat it is understandable that the people in Libya celebrate his homecoming. And unreasonable of Gordon Brown to ask that no celebration should take place, and for Barack Obama to call for him to be placed under house arrest.

In 2004 when Tony Blair first visited Colonel Gaddafi, it was made plain by the latter that the "new relationship" must include the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. At the time relatives of the Lockerbie bomb victims were divided about this meeting. Today, they are still divided. Meanwhile, politicians attempt to place their feet in both camps. However, politicians cannot have it both ways.

If I was Colonel Gaddafi, I would ensure that the price of oil includes a tax to recover the cost of $1.5bn compensation paid by Libya to the victim's relatives. We cannot expect others to make a sacrifice if we are not prepared to make a sacrifice ourselves.

UPDATE:

Col Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam, last night said that Megrahi's release was linked to trade deals with Britain, with British oil, gas and water treatment companies, banks, security contractors, tobacco firms and even women's high-street clothing stores in line for hundreds of millions of pounds of business.

Libya marks return of 'innocent' Megrahi

Libya marks return of 'innocent' Megrahi

By Rana Jawad
BBC News, Tripoli




Far from the noise being made in America and Britain about Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi's arrival to a joyful public welcoming in his country, Tripoli has been quiet as it observes the first day in the holy month of Ramadan.

There is a verbal storm raging on in the US and in the UK: a public relations nightmare, perhaps, for all the governments linked to the Lockerbie case.

People here believe Megrahi is an innocent man.

The streets have been silent throughout the day and many Libyans will be unaware of the outrage that is playing out abroad. For the local population, their brother is home, he is dying and he will spend his remaining days with his family and amongst his people. That is where the story ends for them.

But it seems like a harsh new beginning for the relatives of the Lockerbie bombing victims. Most are opposed to Megrahi's release and return to Libya, but for this country it is seen as a resounding victory, albeit a muted one on an official level.

Comment: A Happy Ramadan Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrah. The Libyan state mobile phone network sent this text to it's subscribers "Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi is free in the adored Libyan land".

UPDATE:

Megrahi: 'A convenient scapegoat?'

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi has left Scotland to return to Libya.

With his departure, a lengthy chapter in Scots legal history has closed.

But many questions remain - and they will not disappear along with the flight to Tripoli.

BBC Scotland's Home Affairs Correspondent Reevel Alderson has been looking at the mystery which still surrounds the 1988 bombing.

It's not just the politicians who have two faces in this affair

It's not just the politicians who have two faces in this affair

Mystery man boarding a plane



Abdel Baset al-Megrahi disembarking a plane



Abdel Baset al-Megrahi (left) who is accompanied by Seif al-Islam el- Gadhafi (right), son of Libyan leader Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, disembarking a plane again.