The Tories were in disarray today over their stance on the big brother state and the use of anti terror laws being used for non terror purposes.

On the one hand, as we posted earlier Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve wants to make it easier for the Police and Local Authorities to make use of the Reform of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), to conduct surveillance on those suspected of
non-terrorist offences by removing all the red tape and any safeguards and oversight.

But today Eric Pickles, the shadow local government secretary, said: “There is
growing public concern over the surveillance state.

In the Telegraph, Eric Pickles has been telling us that under the 2000 Terrorism Act, a constable may apply for a warrant
to enter premises to carry out a terrorist investigation, but he then goes on to tell us that

“Laws passed by Labour have slipped in draconian powers for bin police to
enter family homes. On top of this, anti-terror laws now allow town hall bin
police to spy on law-abiding citizens.

“It is wrong that Whitehall is openly encouraging town hall bureaucrats
to fine people for minor breaches, like putting out rubbish at the wrong
time or not closing a bid lid.

Welcome Mr Pickles to the real world. Where have you been for 10 years. We do not forget that it was with the collusion of the Tories and LibDems that these laws were passed in the first place. Did no-one in the Tory Party read them before voting…..apparently not.

Wakey wakey…..

Well there we are, they have been asleep, no-one in the Tory Party did read the Bills before they voted.  Whats that, just uncovered by the Conservatives? its only been law for 8 years…..ah, your just getting round to reading them now.

So just what is the Tory policy.

Is it to make it easier for these people to use anti terror laws to spy on us as outlined in Dominic Greaves flagship policy, or to to condemn those laws. (note: at no stage has Eric Pickles suggested that they would curb or repeal these laws)

What's the policy Mr Cameron, is it Greave or Pickles. (Yes, we have all noticed that there is not a peep out of David Davies after his sham election).

In another Telegraph article, Mr Pickles has another go at similar draconian laws. He warned that
as a result of “function creep”, increasing numbers of
householders will have to submit to inspections in future in order to claim
the council tax discount.

Function Creep eh. But that is exactly what Dominic Greave is proposing the Tories do by using anti terror laws for use on non-terror related suspects.

So is it that the Tories are inept (well they do appear to have been asleep for 10 years), or is it as we suspect more likely that this is deceit, the Tories now picking up the art of spin where NuLab have left off.

Nowhere, but nowhere have they said they will curb or repeal these laws.

Yep, those libertarian Tories. They're really interested in your civil liberties, aren't they?

The Only home of Libertarianism in the UK

Your Life, Your Country, Your Choice.

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The Tories were in disarray today over their stance on the big brother state and the use of anti terror laws being used for non terror purposes.

On the one hand, as we posted earlier Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve wants to make it easier for the Police and Local Authorities to make use of the Reform of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), to conduct surveillance on those suspected of
non-terrorist offences by removing all the red tape and any safeguards and oversight.

But today Eric Pickles, the shadow local government secretary, said: “There is
growing public concern over the surveillance state.

In the Telegraph, Eric Pickles has been telling us that under the 2000 Terrorism Act, a constable may apply for a warrant
to enter premises to carry out a terrorist investigation, but he then goes on to tell us that

“Laws passed by Labour have slipped in draconian powers for bin police to
enter family homes. On top of this, anti-terror laws now allow town hall bin
police to spy on law-abiding citizens.

“It is wrong that Whitehall is openly encouraging town hall bureaucrats
to fine people for minor breaches, like putting out rubbish at the wrong
time or not closing a bid lid.

Welcome Mr Pickles to the real world. Where have you been for 10 years. We do not forget that it was with the collusion of the Tories and LibDems that these laws were passed in the first place. Did no-one in the Tory Party read them before voting…..apparently not.

Wakey wakey…..

Well there we are, they have been asleep, no-one in the Tory Party did read the Bills before they voted.  Whats that, just uncovered by the Conservatives? its only been law for 8 years…..ah, your just getting round to reading them now.

So just what is the Tory policy.

Is it to make it easier for these people to use anti terror laws to spy on us as outlined in Dominic Greaves flagship policy, or to to condemn those laws. (note: at no stage has Eric Pickles suggested that they would curb or repeal these laws)

What's the policy Mr Cameron, is it Greave or Pickles. (Yes, we have all noticed that there is not a peep out of David Davies after his sham election).

In another Telegraph article, Mr Pickles has another go at similar draconian laws. He warned that
as a result of “function creep”, increasing numbers of
householders will have to submit to inspections in future in order to claim
the council tax discount.

Function Creep eh. But that is exactly what Dominic Greave is proposing the Tories do by using anti terror laws for use on non-terror related suspects.

So is it that the Tories are inept (well they do appear to have been asleep for 10 years), or is it as we suspect more likely that this is deceit, the Tories now picking up the art of spin where NuLab have left off.

Nowhere, but nowhere have they said they will curb or repeal these laws.

Yep, those libertarian Tories. They're really interested in your civil liberties, aren't they?

The Only home of Libertarianism in the UK

Your Life, Your Country, Your Choice.

Related Reading:

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The Guardian
reports that Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve is to propose
amendments to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act so that it is
simpler for the police to conduct surveillance on those suspected of
non-terrorist offences.  The article quotes Tory concerns that one
police officer recently spent thirteen-and-a-half hours filling out
paperwork in order to follow a burglar with three previous convictions.

According to The Guardian Mr Grieve wants the police to have automatic rights to:

• “Use covert video or listening devices in premises or vehicles.
• Watch premises to identify or arrest suspects.
• Conduct visual surveillance of public locations.
• Patrol, in uniform or plain clothes.
• Use thermal imaging and X-ray technology.
• Conduct surveillance using visible CCTV cameras.”

Earlier in the summer the outgoing chair of the Local Government Association, Sir Simon Milton, highlighted local authorities' use and misuse of surveillance powers.

So you see the Tory plan is not to stop spying on UK citizens, but to make it even easier to spy on UK citizens.

RIPA was designed to investigate and fight terrorism, not people who drop apple cores.

Items 2, 3 and 4 above should of course be part of a Police Officers normal duties, to be on the street, to be aware of what is going on around them and to be trained in the powers of recall. (all things that used to be taught at the Police College in Henden before it was closed down by this Government).

However the other items on that list are far more contentious. They are not about police awareness, they are about spying, spying on your own people.

Whilst we agree that there is far too much red tape and paperwork involved in modern policing, the single most important safeguard is still missing, any such requests for overt and most certainly covert surveillance should only be authorised by a judge, having been given evidence by the police to state why they wish to conduct such surveillance.

It is essential that in order to safeguard the rights of people of the UK, any such activity should be confined within the bounds of judicial oversight.

To make matters even worse, Sir Paul Kennedy, the Interception of Communications Commissioner, who is there to protect our interests?, has urged
councils to “make much more use” of new spying legislation which
allows them to access phone bills and call records of members of the public.

This is just another example of how our Ruling elite have forgotten why they are there. They have forgotten that they are there to serve us, not us them. They have forgotten that they are there to govern, not to rule.

Under a Tory government this will only get worse, not better.

Mr Grieve says nothing about getting rid of the ridiculous Police targets, he says nothing of removing the 3000+ new 'criminal' offences introduced by NuLab, he says nothing of rolling back any of the 126,000 draconian laws introduced over the past 10 years, or curbing the excesses of Local Authorities, he only speaks of using those laws designed to fight terrorism and making it easier to use them on you.

Yep, those libertarian Tories. They're really interested in your civil liberties, aren't they?

The Only home of Libertarianism in the UK

Your Life, Your Country, Your Choice.

Related Reading:

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