Archive for category Civil Liberty
EHRC refuses Britain a fair hearing
Posted by Nick Cowen in Civil Liberty, Human Rights, Immigration, Multiculturalism, Political Correctness on 08/08/2011
The Equality and Human Rights Commission contributes very little to meaningful equality in Britain today and should be abolished, according to a new Civitas report. Added to the Government’s much trumpeted ‘bonfire of the quangos’, the EHRC would save the Treasury tens of millions of pounds at no obvious cost to the general public.
Small Corroding Words, by Jon Gower Davies, is a systematic critique of the philosophy, research and practice of the EHRC. It reveals serious flaws in the EHRC’s ‘triennial review’, How Fair Is Britain?, that was used to demonstrate unfairness in Britain. What the research actually shows are the statistical differences between some groups. This line of thinking entails, for example, taking the fact that men are more likely to die in work-related accidents than women as a sign of unfairness. (pp. 8-9) The EHRC inaccurately blames Britain for differences of this kind.
Could a grand jury hang News International high?
Posted by Nick Cowen in Civil Liberty, Crime on 21/07/2011
In the aftermath of the phone hacking scandal, some commentators, including Neil Kinnock, have suggested that now is the time for regulation of the press on a par with TV broadcasters. Besides the dangerous implications for free speech such proposals have, they are fighting what is already the last battle. The mainstream press is at its weakest point economically for generations and is increasingly held to account by other actors, especially independent bloggers. Reform should be focussed on more fundamental problems that have implications for any powerful set of actors that decide they can get away with breaking the law to achieve their own ends. These are our overly centralised institutions of investigation and prosecution that have proved too easy for establishment figures to bypass. In short, we need to bring back grand juries.
The Great Escape: Part II
Posted by Carolina Bracken in Civil Liberty, Crime, European Union, Human Rights on 30/06/2011
In light of the increasingly evident disparity between standards of criminal justice in EU member states, the European Commission has launched a consultation on pre-trial detention and extradition. This Green Paper should be welcomed as a recognition of “the scandal of excessive and unjustified pre-trial detention in Europe”, and the need to impose more rigorous common standards to prevent further rights violation.
The Great Escape
Posted by Carolina Bracken in Civil Liberty, Crime, European Union, Human Rights on 22/06/2011
After ten months in barbaric captivity, and a further three years in legal limbo, Andrew Symeou has been acquitted of manslaughter and can return to the UK. His story must serve as evidence of the worst excesses of the European Arrest Warrant, and be used as a platform to achieve long-overdue and far-reaching change.
Turbulent Flight Plan
Posted by Carolina Bracken in America, Civil Liberty, Crime, European Union, Human Rights, Security on 01/06/2011
Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has defended a US-EU data retention agreement as “crucial” to improving international security. “Given the threats we face are global in nature,” he said in Brussels, “we cannot provide the protection we all wish to see without working with our non-EU partners”. However, far from being equal negotiators, the EU has submitted to belligerent US demands, leading to an inconsistent, disproportionate and expansionist scheme.
Lending Support
Posted by Carolina Bracken in Civil Liberty, Crime, European Union, Human Rights on 25/05/2011
Although 30 million Europeans fall victim to crime each year, at an annual cost of some €250 billion, support for victims in the EU has long been woefully inadequate. However, extensive reform proposals published by the European Commission last week take important strides towards towards establishing a basic minimum level of care for victims of crime, and are undoubtedly deserving of praise.
