Snooping laws would show terrorists have won

Britain is already one of the most watched nation in the world (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DAVID CAMERON’S lead coalition believe that to prevent serious crime the state needs access to the phone numbers people dial, the websites they visit and the emails they send.

Britain is meant to be a democracy but I fear it is becoming more authoritarian each day.

It is a common perception in the British psyche that China has draconian laws which limits individual freedoms. But China is a country which is developing at a staggering rate, and is one of the few in the world which appears to have benefited from the worldwide economic slump.

The worry now is that while Britain struggles with the post-Empire years, China will gain increasing influence in the world and democratise further whilst Britain goes in the opposite direction – less influence, and less individual liberty.

Monitoring communications will do little to prevent a terrorist attack or other serious crimes.  Dominic Raab, MP, said in  yesterday’s Telegraph:

“The Omagh bombing showed, draining the swamp for information does not mean you get results. Authorities intercepted conversations between the bombers before the attack – but failed to act on information to stop the atrocity, and couldn’t use it to prosecute the perpetrators.”

Mr Raab, writing in the broadsheet, said it is not only the police and intelligence agencies monitoring us. There are 400 councils and countless quangos snooping on people. In total 10,000 requests for personal data are made each week.

Didn’t someone once say that if we allow the terrorists to take away our freedoms – they have won?

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Murdochs and Rebekah Brooks battle for personal reputation

Rupert Murdoch made a rare appearance earlier today

Rupert and James Murdoch, along with Rebekah Brooks were grilled into phone hacking allegations, by a select committee of MPs.

This blog post is no longer updated and includes brief reaction from the day.

July 19

6.20PM

Brooks is appearing composed and says that she has never sanctioned payments to police. She also said they mainly used private investigators for exposing paedophiles.

5.36PM

Murdochs have been questioned in what was a major grilling by the select committee. It was disturbed by some idiot who tried to take a swipe at Rupert Murdoch. Now it is the finale – Brooks is to face questioning.

4.00PM

James Murdoch is constantly repeating “I have no knowledge of”, well isn’t that convenient? It appears a lot of things said without him saying anything.

3.23PM

I cannot believe how little the ones at the top of the News Corporation seem to know about the antics of News International, and specifically the News of the World. For the highest members of the media, this seems to be a PR disaster.

3.00PM

Rupert Murdoch has appeared shaken and unable to answer basic questions about wrongdoing into his organisation. This really is a damaging appearance.

2.50PM

James Murdoch appears to be dodging the major questions. It is difficult to believe the company does not have any knowledge of phone hacking by Brooks etc.

2.37PM

Murdochs now being questioned!

2.15PM

He appears to be coming across better than I expected – so far anyway.

2.00PM

Yates is now being questioned by the committee.

1.26PM

‎10 members of Met media staff have worked at News International. This is shocking – this is just within the public affairs department!

1.22PM

Sir Paul Stevenson is totally dodging the major questions…is he aware of anything? He was the head of the top police force in the country. At best this is grossly negligent and at worst stinks of corruption!

1.15PM

Overall, I don’t think the former commissioner has shown himself in the best light. He’s constantly stumbling over basic questions, and has not really admitted any real responsibility.

1.03PM

Sir Paul does not admit responsibility for anything. He’s a policeman. It is common sense he would know something is a bit ‘dodgy’. How could he not think Wallis’ appointment was not suspicious.

12.32PM

Sir Paul does not appear to be answering the questions that well in my opinion. More reaction soon.

12.18PM

Sir Paul Stevenson is not apologetic. He is coming across as victim. But he should be taking more leadership.

12.07PM

Sir Paul Stevenson is about to be questioned by the select committee. This would normally be the headline event, but today only a sideshow.

11.55AM

Just minutes before the select committee, former News of the World worker Paul McMullan has given an interesting insight into how “endemic” phone hacking was at the NoW.

Press freedom comes at a price

Did the university have to display a massive flag such as the one above?

Why should trainee journalists have to pass rigorous news writing exams (with a pass rate of about 50%) when the more experienced, often tabloid journalists, are lying to us daily?

For instance, one of Britain’s best-selling tabloids is allowed to get away with errors on a habitual basis.

Don’t believe me?  Well, this blog has highlighted many: http://tabloid-watch.blogspot.com.

University fined for not flying EU flag

The part where the Mail said a university was fined for not flying the EU’s flag was rubbish.

The real story is: the university should display something to show their money came from the EU.

Why not? That’s perfectly reasonable, but as the below proves, the Mail’s story was a LIE.

Tom van Lierop, EC regional affairs spokesman, explains it, as reported on the Express website:

“If there is a contract between a member state and the commission as a co-investor in a region, there is a requirement to have a small indication for every project under half a million euros (GBP470,000).

“The indication could be a mention on a website or in a leaflet, and for bigger projects we ask that on the billboard during the building works it states that it was co-funded by the EU.

“Once the project is finished, there should be a little plaque, but you don’t have to wave a big flag above a project: that’s nonsense“

“That’s perfectly standard procedure, and private investors in projects, or organisations such as the UK national lottery, also like some recognition of investments they’ve made.”

Press freedom?

We often hear how a democratic society needs a free press, but does it?

I’ve passed many journalism qualifications, and I don’t think it does.

With freedom comes great responsibility, and much of the tabloid press are feeding readers with lies which they worryingly believe in.

The phone hacking scandal has shown beyond doubt that the Press Complaints Commission is unable to enforce journalistic ethics.

There has to be a zero tolerance code which prevents the press from lying from one of the highest positions of responsibility in the country.

It isn’t press freedom to tell readers a university was fined for not flying the EU’s flag - that’s dishonest and the very opposite of what journalism should be.

Britain needs an overhaul of its journalism.

At the moment sensationalism and downright LIES goes above accuracy, and that’s bad news for everyone.

What do you think? 

Blow to Murdoch’s empire as News of the World closes its doors after more than 165 years

The NOTW famous for its 'shocking' headlines

The UK’s top-selling newspaper, the News of the World (NOTW) is closing after a week of damaging allegations.

This week’s bombshell happened after the Guardian alleged the paper hired a private investigator to hack a dead schoolgirl’s phone.

Unfortunately, the revelations kept coming with news that the police have names of more than 4,000 phone hacked victims.

Other shocks included the possibility that the parents of dead soldiers and terrorist victims of the 2005 7/7 attacks also had their phones hacked.

It was too much for the NOTW’s advertisers, such as the Legion, who were in partnership with News International by helping to raise awareness of issues facing military personnel.

The events which have unfolded are a monumental shift within British (and possibly) international journalism.

I don’t think the public will be impressed with a ‘Sunday Sun’, especially given the Sun itself may soon be in the firing line, as many NOTW  journalists often write for the Sun.

But, although disheartening for the NOTW journalists who now have to be made redundant or find other jobs within the News International company, it is about time the Murdoch empire got knocked down a peg or two.

For decades the NOTW was notorious in publishing ‘kiss and tell’ scandals which shocked the nation. But sadly it was also complicit in scaring and bullying many people from attempting to uncover its very own deception and depravity.

And let’s not pretend the extraordinary set of events are anywhere near over. There’s plenty more shock and drama to come.

It is difficult to know what will happen next, but it is inconceivable that Rebekah Brooks can stay at the top of an organisation, which on her watch, were involved in some of the most heinous journalistic practices known to hit the British press.

She needs to show leadership by admitting responsibility, and not simply saying ‘Oh I was on holiday then!’… It doesn’t matter if she was on holiday, as a senior figure within the group she should have been aware what was happening.

The last ever News of the World will go on sale this Sunday, 10th July 2011.

Prison reform will make us less safe

An example of a prisoner locked up

The government has curbed plans to release prisoners early for pleading guilty, and has instead outlined tough measures to reform the prison system.

But what a disastrous policy which will make us all less safe.

If we adopt common sense, it will be clear to see how ridiculous such proposals are.

Studies show time-and-time again locking people up does not reduce crime.

Ian Loader, a professor in Criminology and prison advisor said in 2007: “The way we treat offenders communicates a great deal about the kind of society that Britain is, or aspires to be.”

It may be ‘lefty’ for hardcore conservatives, but prison should be there to make us safer – and if that is not the outcome, then it is in need of revolutionising (not reform).

Today’s Sun has interviews with a mother of a murdered child etc., of course these people will demand tougher sentences. A mother who has lost an 18-year-old daughter will say: “I WANT to show Ken Clarke pictures of my daughter’s mutilated body and ask “Do you think the monster responsible should get a reduced sentence?”

If someone killed someone I knew I’d want to ***** them!

But it is not the point – the issue here is what is best long-term for all of us.

Many of our politicians today have never experienced poverty etc. They’ve never felt what it would be like to be an adult who does not have basic literacy skills – sadly the reality for many inmates.

Ministers, and many decision makers, are often so far removed from the reality of the people they decide to lock up (indirectly through the policies passed) it is no wonder such a ridiculous system persists.

The fact of the matter is, whether it takes weeks or centuries, one day the prison system will be revolutionised – because it will be shown to have not helped so many people and to have made the rest of us less safe.

It doesn’t matter what the Sun or Mail calls an ‘outrageous’ sentence, what matters is whether the long-term result makes us safer.

Prisons are full of mentally ill people who cannot tell the difference between 2+2 and 2 x 2, it is abhorrent that in an era of so-called ‘human rights’ such people are banged up for years only to stay stuck in a constant rut of re-offending… this is what justice is in modern Britain today.

More: BBC – Prison term discount plan ‘too leniant’, says Cameron

Opposite view: the Sun – Soft justice Ken Clarke in U-turn

Greece’s economy will recover, but at what cost to the people?

A potential crisis in Europe?

Greece’s PM claims €110bn is needed to prevent the country defaulting on its debt.

Its economy is in a dire state, but it will eventually recover.

Harder to resolve will be the loss of pride to the country’s citizens who have had to face tough austerity measures.

BBC’s Europe Editor,  Gavin Hewitt states in his blog: “They dislike the bail-outs. It eats away at their pride.”

Greece will have to suffer a further decline in growth this year, despite having had support from the EU and the IMF.

And as Germany and several other European economies continue to see growth, the Greeks will feel further humiliated.

In the interests of strengthening the European Union, which has served well to protect against wars, the situation in Greece needs to be resolved sooner than later.

Have your say on this issue in a quick (will take less than one minute) poll, here