Saturday, February 12, 2011
A blow for freedom
Yesterday's announcement that the DNA of up to one million innocent people will be wiped from the national database is a victory for commonsense and liberalism.
Under the new regime only the profiles of people suspected of serious offences of sex or violence will be retained and only for a maximum of five years. Other proposals include a significant scaling back of vetting and criminal record checks, more powers for the public around CCTV, making it a criminal offence to wheel-clamp vehicles on private land and a major reduction of state powers to snoop on people.
A major culling of the 1,200 different powers available to officials to enter a home and a ban on schools fingerprinting children without their parent's consent are also planned.
There will also be a new law allowing homosexuals who were convicted for having consensual sex with anyone over the age of 16 when it was illegal to have their criminal record wiped clean.
The period a terror suspect can be detained without charge will be halved to 14 days.
Police will no longer be able to stop and search people without reasonable suspicion under terror laws unless there is "reasonable suspicion" that an atrocity will take place.
There is a long way to go of course on the details in the Freedom Bill but it is outcomes like this that made it worthwhile for the Liberal Democrats to enter Government in the first place. There may be downsides but a lot of good can come of taking responsibility as well.
Under the new regime only the profiles of people suspected of serious offences of sex or violence will be retained and only for a maximum of five years. Other proposals include a significant scaling back of vetting and criminal record checks, more powers for the public around CCTV, making it a criminal offence to wheel-clamp vehicles on private land and a major reduction of state powers to snoop on people.
A major culling of the 1,200 different powers available to officials to enter a home and a ban on schools fingerprinting children without their parent's consent are also planned.
There will also be a new law allowing homosexuals who were convicted for having consensual sex with anyone over the age of 16 when it was illegal to have their criminal record wiped clean.
The period a terror suspect can be detained without charge will be halved to 14 days.
Police will no longer be able to stop and search people without reasonable suspicion under terror laws unless there is "reasonable suspicion" that an atrocity will take place.
There is a long way to go of course on the details in the Freedom Bill but it is outcomes like this that made it worthwhile for the Liberal Democrats to enter Government in the first place. There may be downsides but a lot of good can come of taking responsibility as well.
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I wonder if my finger prints have been removed from the files of South Wales Police following a request for a CRB check???
What about the DNA of the BNP activist who were arrested for delivering leaflets in the Bonymaen area of Swansea for leafletting. If there was anything derogatory in the leaflets, then the Agent should have been arrested not the leafletters!
South Wales Police obviously haven't heard of Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights, or don't they think it applies to them?
I'm sure the local rozzers read your Blog Peter, perhaps they would care to comment.
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What about the DNA of the BNP activist who were arrested for delivering leaflets in the Bonymaen area of Swansea for leafletting. If there was anything derogatory in the leaflets, then the Agent should have been arrested not the leafletters!
South Wales Police obviously haven't heard of Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights, or don't they think it applies to them?
I'm sure the local rozzers read your Blog Peter, perhaps they would care to comment.
# posted by 
: 6:16 PM
: 6:16 PM<< Home
