Archive for category Civil Liberty
The Macpherson Mindset
Posted by admin in Civil Liberty, Crime, Human Rights, Multiculturalism, Political Correctness, Race and Equality on 19/01/2012
Adrian Hart has written an insightful piece about the Macpherson report and its aftermath at this link.
Human rights: in praise of practice over principle
Posted by Nick Cowen in Civil Liberty, Crime, Human Rights on 12/12/2011
Sigrid Rausing offers a powerful and clear defence of keeping European Court of Human Rights’ decisions superior to the democratic will of Parliament. But her argument is lacking in a number of important respects and, in the end, risks weakening the power of the concept of human rights to command reasoned agreement in a democratic society.
#Londonsburning
Posted by Nick Cowen in Civil Liberty, Crime on 20/09/2011
By Tom Hall
For a few dramatic days in August 2011 the twin pillars of law and order seemed on the verge of collapse as an epidemic of riots and vandalism spread across the United Kingdom. The question of how a small protest against apparent police brutality in Tottenham could spark upheaval as far afield as Huddersfield has given rise to a number of competing explanations.1 Significantly, many commentators and politicians have homed in on the role of social networking and its relationship with Generation Y. Given Twitter and Facebook’s past form – many have labelled the Arab Spring the “Facebook Revolution” – it is worth seriously considering their effects on Generation Y. This article will tackle the interrelated questions of whether social media caused the UK riots (including Twitter, Facebook, and Blackberry messenger) and, if so, whether these platforms should be suspended from use during times of crisis.
- Read the full comment here.
Ill-Advised Advice Opt Out
Posted by Carolina Bracken in Civil Liberty, Crime, European Union, Human Rights, Immigration on 16/09/2011
Successive governments have been censured for ensnaring the UK in unwanted, unwarranted EU legislation. Given the vigour with which the country has repeatedly signed up to obligations of spurious merit, it is particularly disheartening to see the Government opt out of a Directive that has the potential to assist some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
Full-Court Press
Posted by Carolina Bracken in Civil Liberty, Crime, Human Rights, Politics on 02/09/2011
Over past weeks, both David Cameron and Nick Clegg have written candidly about the “misrepresentation of human rights”, with the Deputy PM in particular bemoaning how those in power have “belittled the relevance of rights at home”. Their ambitions to “get a grip” on this distortion are essential and to be welcomed, as the media and public bodies continue to pollute the rights discourse with inaccuracies, errors and fallacious propaganda.
Don’t legislate from the hip
Posted by Nick Cowen in Civil Liberty, Crime on 18/08/2011
Everyone is keen emphasise how the English riots change everything. But one of the worst things that the Government and policy-makers could do in reaction to the riots is overreact.
