WHO IS ABOVE LAW AND ORDER ?

There must be something very wrong in the UK when we are confronted by a situation where all of us are regularly filmed and photographed by thousands of CCTV cams in the streets, the Bus and Rail Stations shops and stores and last but not least, by the police. All without our wish or permission but when the situation is reversed, even for perfectly innocent or justifiable reasons, we break the law and are sacked and/or prosecuted.

For example, as of February this year, we cannot legally photograph or film police officers, at any time whether they are allegedly using violence or not, if we do, we can be detained and our film confiscated even if we are a journalist or a blogger. What are we supposed to do if we witness an incident of police violence or brutality, and they do this? Prosecute them for withholding evidence ? And similarly if we see NHS patients or people in care homes being neglected or abused even if we are working in co-operation with the BBC we can lose our job and our future livelihood as one British nurse found out this week. If we are employed by the NHS and our filming is discovered or heaven forbid, we own up and blow our whistles with pride as we are supposedly encouraged to do, we are not only dismissed but are also then prevented from continuing nursing.

One could be forgiven for believing that we are supposed to be attacked or abused and further punished if we object or bring any evidence or proof of such activities despite laws which are supposed to protect us from reprisals. The NHS has now reached a position where it seems to consider itself above the law. The PCTs are a law unto themselves and take no notice of democracy or their own rules as the people of Southampton have found out this year in the so called "consultation" over fluoridation of drinking water.

As i write there are now more than 90 complaints against the Metropolitan police being investigated following the G20 and Climate Change Camp last week. Its true that some hotheads broke a few windows but generally the occasion was peaceful as had been planned. One begins to wonder are the stories of the actions of agent provocateurs often mentioned on the conspiracy theory websites, not so far from the Truth after all. As a long time protester against Pollution, Nuke Power, Grotesque Planning, Insane Road building and all kinds of environmental degradation I know that any violence or damage to property does not win either the argument or any beauty contests. In fact, get into a fight in front of the TV or CCTV cams and you have lost the sympathy of the very people you wished would join you in your protests. Moderate and civilised people do not really like brawling in the street, I know because I am one of them. (surely some mistake! Ed.)

In recent years because of Trade Union actions such as picketing and more recently the Terrorist outrages, lots of new, and often draconian new laws have been introduced allegedly to keep public order and protect property but the effects have actually stifled any kind of spontaneous action. You don't need a noisy mob to get yourself in trouble nowadays, even one woman reading out the names of those killed by the illegal war in Iraq is now illegal and can result in fines or detention and of course DNA samples which will be kept as long as they can get away with it. Even a silent Peace Vigil is likely to be filmed by police officers with telephoto lenses. When this kind of thing happens things have gone more than far enough and its time to protest against the laws themselves and the people who are introducing them. If we don't, we are in imminent danger of losing not just our democratic freedoms of expression but even our liberty.

We have been promised that cabinet papers from discussions about the Iraq war will be made public and that there will be a public enquiry but they keep coming up with excuses and even the MPs have not been allowed to see or discuss it. Meanwhile the Government pushes ahead with ID Cards, Biometrics, Retinal Scans and other technology which is not only very complex and extremely expensive but also completely useless in fighting fraud, ID theft and of course terrorism. What kind of plonker seriously believes that terror attacks will cease if terrorists have to carry ID Cards when its clear that such measures didn't prevent the 911 attacks in the USA. Even the much vaunted "chip and pin" technology is becoming increasingly unsafe as crook find new ways of circumventing it. Chief plonker must be Gordon Brown who still expresses confidence in ID Cards and of course there is a long line of Home Secs past and present who believe in fairy stories.

The usual excuse for all this bullshit is of course terrorism and public order but what about Government public order and honesty not to mention accountability. Clearly you can lie with impunity if you are an MP or a Government minister or at the very least think you can. You can subvert the expenses rules for MPs and have as many houses, real or illusory at the expense of the taxpayer. If we are to believe our eyes, its also OK for Police Officers to hit people with sticks and shields and to forget to carry any identification numbers on their uniforms. They can also corrale people into confined spaces for hours on end without water or toilet facilities irrespective of whether the people they round up are involved in the demonstration or not.

Do the commanders of the Met seriously believe that people will not photograph them, legally or otherwise when such offences are being committed. Offences they certainly are and wearing a police uniform should be no guarantee of immunity from prosecution for them. The police have more than enough laws to help them keep order without any more being introduced and they should start by obeying the laws themselves, all the way from the officer on the beat right up to the Chief Constables and Commanders. They are, like Civil Servants and elected members of Parliament, our servants after all and not our masters. We elect them, they must carry out the will of the people. If the people are not above the law then neither are they.

We are now living in a society that is ruled by people who never say sorry, never resign, assume they are always correct and seem to think that the people of the United Kingdom are as corrupt, dishonest and dangerous as they are. Some no doubt are but the vast majority of us are not and we are coming to resent they way we are being treated and the assumption that are being made about us. If they really want honesty and law and order, they need to show a little more trust otherwise our trust in them will finally run out.