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CIVIL LIBERTIES SLASHED IN THE NAME OF TERROR BUT HOW WILL OUR PUBLIC SERVICES COPE? |
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The Queen's Speech, on which you report (24/11/04), shows that under
the guise of protecting the country from a terrorist attack, this
Labour government is effectively slashing civil liberties that many of
it's supporters fought long and hard to win. At the same time they are
leaving public services under funded and under resourced to cope with
any major disaster should the worse case scenario happen.
This seems to confirm the government's intention to create what could
become a police state. Power of arrest for suspicion of committing any
crime, which includes parking offences, and banning demonstration on
crown land (like USAF Fairford) are just two examples of the new
powers. Whilst this sounds an exaggeration to most people, for many
minority groups it is already a reality. Of course these powers may not
be often abused, but the mere fact they will exist is a cause for
concern.
It is worth noting that the emergency services have said they feel ill
equipped to deal with the fall out a terrorist attack. Presumably the
government doesn't feel the threat is great enough to warrant more
investment not less into our public sector services. Yet identity
cards, at a massive cost of between £1.3 and £3.1 billion, are planned
despite the fact that fake ID cards will provide a lucrative business
for organised crime, and the Met Police have admitting that the
introduction of an identity card would not of itself lead to a
reduction in crime or an increase in detection rates.
The government are deliberately creating a climate of fear in the run
up to the next election. But if they were truly serious about the
risks surely they would ensure that essential public services are
properly funded and properly prepared?
Martin Whiteside,
Stroud District Councillor and Green Party Parliamentary Candidate
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