Scratch that - good news
Like a muppet, I just lamented that there was not much happening. Then I got the Sunday Times and saw some really good news on the front page: Brown to allow Iraq protests!
After corking movie Taking Liberties, the Lone Mass Demonstrations, the Illegal Carol Services, Milan and Maya's attempts to read out the names of the Iraq dead by the Cenotaph, and many other determined attempts to point out that the SOCPA laws which prevented peaceful assembly to protest spontaneously outside the seat of democracy were rubbish and insulting to the voters of this country, we seem to have got somewhere at last.
Although it seems C4 viewers Most Inspiring Political Figure of 2007, Brian Haw and his peace camp is still looked upon askance and it seems that nervous nellies in the Commons need to barricade themselves in lest someone waves a placard too menacingly and goes off on one. ( They should try using public transport like the rest of us if they want a daily scare about who's fizzing with anger so much that they are in danger of self-detonating). Anyway, we read that...
''The restored right to protest outside parliament will be combined with plans to bolster the protection of the Palace of Westminster and key ministries and government buildings along Whitehall. The Sunday Times has seen a memo from Sir Richard Mottram, chairman of the joint intelligence committee, outlining plans to erect barriers, walls, balustrades and bollards around Parliament Square.
Brown believes the right of the public to protest and demonstrate is crucial to democracy, although he is said to be aware of MPs’ concerns that previous noisy demonstrations in Parliament Square have caused an eyesore and distracted workers in nearby buildings. ''
There are also interesting rumours about an inquiry into Iraq, and I am hopeful, after Brown's criticisms of the ISC whose 7/7 report was full of errors and holes, that we might be getting closer to an independent inquiry into 7/7 as well.
If so I will be absolutely overjoyed. I am crossing my fingers about Mr. Brown and am getting quite excited about what he might change for the better. It is very good to have some hope instead of endless cynical anger bordering on despair after all the disappointments of the Blair administration.
After corking movie Taking Liberties, the Lone Mass Demonstrations, the Illegal Carol Services, Milan and Maya's attempts to read out the names of the Iraq dead by the Cenotaph, and many other determined attempts to point out that the SOCPA laws which prevented peaceful assembly to protest spontaneously outside the seat of democracy were rubbish and insulting to the voters of this country, we seem to have got somewhere at last.
Although it seems C4 viewers Most Inspiring Political Figure of 2007, Brian Haw and his peace camp is still looked upon askance and it seems that nervous nellies in the Commons need to barricade themselves in lest someone waves a placard too menacingly and goes off on one. ( They should try using public transport like the rest of us if they want a daily scare about who's fizzing with anger so much that they are in danger of self-detonating). Anyway, we read that...
''The restored right to protest outside parliament will be combined with plans to bolster the protection of the Palace of Westminster and key ministries and government buildings along Whitehall. The Sunday Times has seen a memo from Sir Richard Mottram, chairman of the joint intelligence committee, outlining plans to erect barriers, walls, balustrades and bollards around Parliament Square.
Brown believes the right of the public to protest and demonstrate is crucial to democracy, although he is said to be aware of MPs’ concerns that previous noisy demonstrations in Parliament Square have caused an eyesore and distracted workers in nearby buildings. ''
There are also interesting rumours about an inquiry into Iraq, and I am hopeful, after Brown's criticisms of the ISC whose 7/7 report was full of errors and holes, that we might be getting closer to an independent inquiry into 7/7 as well.
If so I will be absolutely overjoyed. I am crossing my fingers about Mr. Brown and am getting quite excited about what he might change for the better. It is very good to have some hope instead of endless cynical anger bordering on despair after all the disappointments of the Blair administration.
Labels: civil liberties, politics, protest, Stop the War
posted by Rachel at 12:23 pm
7 comments
