Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Reid proposes even greater summary powers

According to a Home Office press release, John Reid wants to bring in new "swift justice" which will include being able to evict homeowners and board their home up for unspecified periods on the basis of exceptionally vague circumstances. According to the Consultation paper, there is a desire to have closure orders for properties which include
"excessive noise and rowdy behaviour, frequent drunken parties, high numbers of people entering and leaving the premises at all times of the day or night".
The document goes on to imply that any children living in a premises that is closed will be taken into care.

I can't deny the proposals bother me. There does seem to be a rather worrying tendency in the Government these days to actually openly argue for summary powers to be legitimised in the hands of those outside the court system as if it is a "good" thing. What's more, opposition, of any sort, finds itself portrayed as "soft" on crime.

In that sense the proposals have the double-whammy characteristic of being objectional increases in summary state power, whilst simultaneously closing down the principled debating position which opposes them. It's actually quite bizarre I think given that those in power talk about something called the "centre ground".

5 comments:

Benedict White said...

This is bonkers. End of.

Where is the right to here the evidence against you?

never mind the fact that the Human Rights act would say no.

BTW, Any comment on NPI errors?

Anonymous said...

are they having a competition?

biggest fascist gets to be the new leader.

Anonymous said...

Dizzy, You hit on the genius, as it were, behind this piece of legislation (and I'm sure the next criminal justice bill expected in the Queen's speech tomorrow). The genius of course is that trap you mentioned.

It a systematic destruction of our rights in the name of security. Anyone who objects is a liberal democrat softy who is actually helping the jihadists (despite the fact that the situation has nothing to do with the jihadists).

This country would do well to remember the that those who would give up essential personal liberty to purchase a little temporary state secured safety, will inevitably lose both. Sooner or later we'll become enslaved by servants who think they are masters.

Robert Jackman said...

This is scary - even Tory bloggers are painting John Reid as a an authoritarian tankie dragon. It's strange - Cameron seems to have gone silent on his 'abolish the Human Rights Act' stance, yet it's Reid who seems to have the opposition to human rights (one of those soft things he doesn't care no doubt) yet he has yet to explicitly discredit the Act..

Nich Starling said...

Reid's a nasty, nasty man. Today on Radio five he was blaming the Tories and Lib Dems for the fact that he can't get his legislation passed, conveniently forgetting that Labour has a majority. If he cannot even carry his own party's MP, why does he expect to rely on oppistion MP's to do it for him ?