The Conservatives have announced a firm policy, and it's good news for civil libertarians: They plan to scrap the ID cards project should they get into power. Even better, they are prepared to stand up to the lobbying of the ID industry, whose influence on this and related issues was brought to the fore last week thanks to John Higgins of Intellect (Link).   more »

Since the outbreak of Bird Flu at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in Suffolk, there has been a mire of information, counter information, mis information and speculation. It is time for the Minister in charge to make a definitive statement as to exactly what the rules are, what happened and what is going to happen.   more »

In a reference to released with no charge terror arrestee Abu Bakr’s claims of a police state, John Reid told the BBC'S Politics Show yesterday: "It's a completely absurd proposition, the idea that someone who is on, actually, a state-financed television station, having been released under the laws of our democratic, libertarian constitution, against the wishes of the police who wanted to hold him longer”.   more »

With the rhetoric and accusations mounting daily, the world media attention is currently on Iraq and the possibility of the war spreading to Iran. The speculation and the warnings of such an attack have been roundly condemned by groups as diverse as ex US generals and inter faith groups. What is currently going unnoticed is the US military build up in Japan.   more »

Gordon Brown is now running Britain. His grip on power is being consolidated as he waits for Tony Blair to formally resign and hand over the keys to No.10. Tony Blair has now been marginalised to the point that no new policy decisions are being made in No.10 Downing Street, all decisions regarding government are now processed and approved at No.11.   more »

n what is her second stupid statement in as many days, the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt tell us that if you Smoke or are Obese then the NHS will not provide treatment for you. On 8th Feb in an interview with Oonagh Blackman, PATRICIA Hewitt incredibly declared that NHS bed closures are a sign of success - because it means fewer people need care. In these two statements what she is really saying is that the NHS will only be providing services for people who are well and healthy.   more »