A Whiff Of Totalitarianism

[poliphilo]

Documents were leaked from the Home Office and ended up in the hands of the Shadow Minister for Immigration. They didn't contain national secrets, merely information embarrassing to the Government. The police were called in; they arrested the Shadow Minister, ransacked his house and searched his private office in the House of Commons.
 
The Shadow Minister was doing his job- part of which is to embarrass the Government. That is how things work in a democracy. Only totalitarian states use the police to intimidate the Opposition.

Or so we thought.

Or perhaps Britain under Gordon Brown is a totalitarian state.

The story has been overshadowed by events in Mumbai. That's a shame. Here's a discussion of the ins and outs of the affair- fair-minded as usual-  from my favourite newspaper columnist, Matthew Parris.

I was softening towards Gordon Brown. He has- ever since banks started collapsing left, right and centre- looked like a man who knows what he's doing. This affair is a reminder of how clumsy and anti-democratic his instincts- and those of his government- are.

Reminder to self: You must never, ever cast a vote in support of Gordon Brown, or anyone remotely connected with him.

Comments

[ibid.livejournal.com]

I heard about this and it terrified me.

Mind you when you look at the previous regime too it's no wonder.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We need to get this lot out of office as quickly as possible. They've been there too long. They're corrupt.

[sovay]

Here's a discussion of the ins and outs of the affair- fair-minded as usual- from my favourite newspaper columnist, Matthew Parris.

What is this, as soon as one government looks like it's beginning to pull itself out of the Dark Ages, someone else has to leap to fill the gap? I am so sorry.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Tony Blair was hand-in-glove with George Bush over the invasion of Iraq- and Brown- as Chancellor- was complicit in funding the war- so the ugliness has been there all along.

This gang has been in power now for over a decade. That's far too long.

[sovay]

Tony Blair was hand-in-glove with George Bush over the invasion of Iraq

I remember. That was depressing.

This gang has been in power now for over a decade. That's far too long.

Understood. Best of luck getting them out.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't believe we're likely to get an election before 2011.

Under our system the P.M. calls the election when he considers circumstances to be most favourable to him. Still, I believe this one will lose whatever date he choses

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

I don't think it is to do with Labour. I think it is the zeitgeist and the Other Lot would be just the same. And the only reason is Because They Can. The public need to be controlled, we could all be terrorists! Since 9-11, everything is justifiable.

My problem is I don't know WHO to vote for. HELP!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think Labour has been hardened by ten years in office. They've been in power too long. For that reason alone we need a change.

I don't have any faith in the Tories. I just want this lot OUT!

[algabal.livejournal.com]

Yikes.

Why is it that the most powerful participants in liberal democracy always seem so set on destroying said liberal democracy?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Democracy is a labour-intensive way of running a country- all that consultation, all that voting, all that compromise. How much simpler- and less stressful, if one could rule by decree!

All democratic politicians- once in office- yearn to behave like dictators.

[methodius.livejournal.com]

Gordon Brown still, like Tony Blair, wants 90-day detention, doesn't he.

That makes him just like Balthazar Johannes "Jolly John" Vorster in my book, who once said:

"We stand for Christian Nationalism, which is an ally of National Socialism. You may call the anti-democratic system dictatorship if you like. In Italy it is called Fascism, in Germany National Socialism, and in South Africa Christian Nationalism."

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

He still wants 90 day detention. He still wants ID cards. He still wants to replace Trident.
And of course he was fully complicit in Blair's invasion of Iraq.