Friday, October 16, 2020
Labour abandon role of opposition on civil liberties breach
That two Labour frontbenchers were forced to resign to oppose the Government legislation that allows MI5 and police informants to commit crimes, tells us everything we need to know about Keir Starmer's attitude to civil liberties.
As the Guardian reports, Starmer had wanted Labour MPs to abstain on the bill once their amendments were defeated, arguing that statutory regulation of informants’ conduct would have been necessary if the party had been in power.
But critics of the covert human intelligence sources bill argued it did not explicitly rule out crimes such as murder, torture or serious sexual offences – and that it could authorise spying by undercover agents or police, including on groups such as trade unions:
Margaret Greenwood, the shadow schools spokesperson, quit immediately after the early evening vote, joining the shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, Dan Carden, who had resigned earlier in the day. The two were among a handful of leftwingers remaining on Keir Starmer’s frontbench.
“I cannot stand by and allow a bill to go through that will profoundly impact on our civil liberties and the environment in which individuals can get together to have their voices heard,” Greenwood wrote in her resignation letter.
But the rebellion could have been larger had a second group of leftwing frontbenchers also decided to defy the whip. Instead, after intense lobbying from senior party figures such as the deputy leader, Angela Rayner, they made a “collective decision to stay on the frontbench and use their roles to ensure the left has a stronger voice in future party policy”, according to a source close the group.
They included MPs Andy McDonald, Imran Hussain, Rachael Maskell, Cat Smith, Marsha de Cordova, Alex Sobel, Sam Tarry and Charlotte Nichols. They said they were given “clear assurances” by Starmer that the party would campaign on union issues. However, Labour insiders said no specific concessions had been made.
Other MPs who did quit were five parliamentary private secretaries – shadow junior ministers – including Navendu Misra and Kim Johnson, both of whom were aides to Rayner, and Rachel Hopkins, Sarah Owen and Mary Foy.
It appears that Starmer is trying to take Labour back to the authoritarian, centralising, illiberal days of Tony Blair in an attempt to win power. The need for the Liberal Democrats has never been greater. Let's hope that Ed Davey steps up to fill the libertarian gap being left for him.
As the Guardian reports, Starmer had wanted Labour MPs to abstain on the bill once their amendments were defeated, arguing that statutory regulation of informants’ conduct would have been necessary if the party had been in power.
But critics of the covert human intelligence sources bill argued it did not explicitly rule out crimes such as murder, torture or serious sexual offences – and that it could authorise spying by undercover agents or police, including on groups such as trade unions:
Margaret Greenwood, the shadow schools spokesperson, quit immediately after the early evening vote, joining the shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, Dan Carden, who had resigned earlier in the day. The two were among a handful of leftwingers remaining on Keir Starmer’s frontbench.
“I cannot stand by and allow a bill to go through that will profoundly impact on our civil liberties and the environment in which individuals can get together to have their voices heard,” Greenwood wrote in her resignation letter.
But the rebellion could have been larger had a second group of leftwing frontbenchers also decided to defy the whip. Instead, after intense lobbying from senior party figures such as the deputy leader, Angela Rayner, they made a “collective decision to stay on the frontbench and use their roles to ensure the left has a stronger voice in future party policy”, according to a source close the group.
They included MPs Andy McDonald, Imran Hussain, Rachael Maskell, Cat Smith, Marsha de Cordova, Alex Sobel, Sam Tarry and Charlotte Nichols. They said they were given “clear assurances” by Starmer that the party would campaign on union issues. However, Labour insiders said no specific concessions had been made.
Other MPs who did quit were five parliamentary private secretaries – shadow junior ministers – including Navendu Misra and Kim Johnson, both of whom were aides to Rayner, and Rachel Hopkins, Sarah Owen and Mary Foy.
It appears that Starmer is trying to take Labour back to the authoritarian, centralising, illiberal days of Tony Blair in an attempt to win power. The need for the Liberal Democrats has never been greater. Let's hope that Ed Davey steps up to fill the libertarian gap being left for him.
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How far does this bill go? It can be the 'foot in the door' where Civil Liberties can be sold down the drain for control by Govnt. One example where does this put Extinction Rebellion? Will they be classed as criminals for protesting?Could Citizens Advice be raided for using govnt information 'wrongly'? It is a slipperly slope.
Cos of the Virus and Brexit consuming the media, public conversation, this can be slipped thru without people commenting on it.
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Cos of the Virus and Brexit consuming the media, public conversation, this can be slipped thru without people commenting on it.
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