Police justify harassment of photographers

A suspected al Qaida-inspired cell was caught red-handed filming potential terrorist targets, police said today. The Guardian.

Police today released information about "a suspected al Qaida-inspired cell was caught red-handed filming potential terrorist targets", in the wake of criticism of heavy handed police action against photographers taking pictures in London. The report provides details about Algerians brothers, who the claim came into ther country illegally using false French and Italian passports about ten years ago.

Assistant Commissioner Frank Armstrong statred that one of the top priorities for police forces was preventing terrorism. He also justified the galling stop and search policy which has resulted in complaints about police, claiming that said that "we have got the politest police force in the country."

Try telling that to the family of Ian Tomlinson and the parents of Stephen Lawrence.

Stephenson - Met was dysfunctional

"There was a level of dysfunctionality over a period at the senior level ..." BBC News.

Sir Paul Stephenson claims that the Met is now a happier force but has raised concern at the limited progress in tackling organised crime across police borders. He claims that unless some police forces merged, the ability to tackle serious organised crime would remain limited.

Still, they are doing a pretty efficient job of  beating up and killing those who oppose the policies of their political masters and of harassing photographers.

Bliar - still spinning

Tony Blair has said he would have invaded Iraq even without evidence of weapons of mass destruction and would have found a way to justify the war to parliament and the public.
The Guardian.

Also, lots of justifications re Iraq being better off without Saddam and his sons, the future of the reigion and other stuff, basically trying to get some level of sympathy given that he will be required to give evidence to the Chilcot commission soon.

The key issue is that he has split Britain in two and been the direct cause of the July 2005 terror attacks in London, as well as the supposed slew of ongoing plots against the UK by Muslim extremists.

Can I suggest a quick fix? Give Blair to the extremistes in exchange for a peace in Britain. The region would be better off without this deceitful, lying, self-serving excuse of a man.

BBC News.

Bercow - openness, transparancy, bullshit

"What I can say is two things: first, the process is vastly superior – I promised 'new broom sweep clean' and I think I am delivering that. There is much more openness, much more transparency, much more explicit statement of what has been claimed and what has been paid.  Secondly, there is a lot of evidence that members of parliament have taken on board the overwhelming media and public anger about the previous system.  Members are very properly much more reasonable and much more circumspect and much more careful about the claims they submit."
John Bercow - The Guardian

I doubt it. These corrupt, fraudulent bastards will be back at it in no time, with more schemes to hide their greedy grasping.

Demos - students to pay for civic service

Graduates should pay a higher rate of interest on their student loans to pay for a national civic service scheme, a report by Demos think tank has said. 
BBC News.

The call for a civic service to help communities, ease the burden on public services and make young people more employable has been suggested by the think tank Demos. It would see people mentoring young children, working on environmental projects or being a community support officer with the police.

The cost could be raised by increasing interest on student loans.  Sonia Sodha, one of the report's authors, has suggested a 2.5% interest rate on student loans as a "fair levy" for those benefiting from state-subsidised education. It also called for university students to put something back in return for their education by doing 100 hours of community service as well as for employers to let workers carry out one week of civic service every year.

I am astounded at the arrogance of this suggestion, especially given that the vast bulk of our top civil servants and politicians enjoyed a FREE university education while students today are forced to run up debts of about £20000 before they even start working.

Also extremely annoying are witterings of Higher Education minister David Lammy, who has the cheek to suggest that "In a consumerist age young people need more opportunities to develop an ethic of service to others." If government had provided only a penny worth of service for every pound they have seem fit to grasp via the hidden, self-indulgent and often fraudulent expenses they have claimed over years and years, I would perhaps consider the idea. However, like many others sick to the back teeth by the syndrome of entitlement which has become so big a part of political life, I will not.

My suggestion?  Use the money clawed back from our devious, corrupt, lying politicians, a retrospective tax on those who enjoyed a free university education, and a 99% tax on bankers bonuses. Leave our students alone. They will pay plenty of tax during their working lives and will be forced to fund their own retirements, given the total cock up that Brown has made of our economy.

We already have far too many won't work scroungers on our books, too many free handouts and more than enough socialism in this country.

See What price a university degree? |:| More on the idea of a civic service.