I'm Turning Into Tony Blair...

It was only a matter of time. I've done a quick appraisal of the last weeks posts on this blog, and they seem the writings of a man obsessed with his own media image, desperately clinging on to the crumbling empire he has built up around him and deluded to the point of insanity on how the public will perceive his legacy. This probably wasn't helped by the fact that I've stopped living off adrenaline for the first time in a year and a half, and my immune system seems to have been detained without trail, resulting in a revolting cold that has rendered me completely incapable of enjoying our moderate success. Anyway, in the interests of this Blog not turning into a self serving ego trip for the director (posts saying "too late" will be deleted...) it seems like we are long overdue some...

Liberty News

Where to begin? We have to start with Tony Blair's final sideswipe at the Media. Tony has either now just completely lost it on the happy pills or is practising for a future career in surreal stand up comedy.



After posing with Wallace and Gromitt outside downing street, the mad king hopped in a limo and went down to Docklands, and blasted a group of stunned hacks for not taking him seriously enough. At one point he appeared to sound slightly self critical when he said that "when he began his premiership there was too much of a reliance on spin". but this turned out to be part of a spiteful rant against newspapers that have stopped reporting facts and stated reporting views. Presumably he was referring to:
-The unquestioning reporting of the government line by most newspapers on The Ricin Case.
-The mad rush to print the governments lies and spin on WMD's the 45 minutes claim and the dodgy dossier.
-The slavish misreporting of the use of the French Veto days before the Iraq War.
-The smearing of David Kelly - after he was dead.
-The blatant use of political arm twisting to win the Hutton case and successfully neuter the BBC.
-The smearing of the Forest Gate brothers, while they detained without charge.

But sadly no. The mad king was talking about further regulations and restrictions on the media, and singled out The Independent as an example of a publication that was getting out of control. Even thought The Indie did not make many friends in this blog by giving us one of the few unkind reviews, Blair has simply descended into childish sniping by attacking the one paper that has actually done it's job over the last 10 years and been a healthy check and a balance on an ever more demonic and authoritarian executive.

Police to sell your DNA Abroad

Yes the British Police have decided that it's not fair to amass the DNA of millions innocent people on a big leaky computer in Britain alone, as it means that only people in the UK can abuse the system. So they have now opened the DNA Database up to all EU member states so that any Tobias, Jaques or Henri can steal and replicate your unique biological blueprint. At least when the access was to UK authorities only, we had some clue of who could have access to your DNA. Now that they have let 15 other countries get their mitts on the database, so practically anyone can access your DNA for a high enough fee. Also the Europeans get a far better deal than we do, as the UK DNA Database is bigger than that of all other member states put together.

Latest Terror Proposals

Are still in complete tailspin. Everyone has revolted over "Dr" John Reid's stop and question powers, but Gordon is still pressing ahead with his 90 days proposals. I haven't had time to do a full response to the consultation paper of last week, but Tim has gone through it and has got it spot on, so check out the detailed criticism here.

Yes there are lots more scary things that we've been sent and will be writing about. Please keep tips and suggestions coming.

And yes I did write a piece for the daily mail. Sort of - I ranted and they ghost wrote it for me - I'm not sure if that makes the situation better or worse. Anyway you can read it and mock here.

Random Fact of the Week

Taking Liberties is released on June the 8th 2007.

The first publication of George Orwell's 1984 was on the 8th June 1949.

Go Figure.

The Police State We're In...

Tony Blair has taken a curious approach to the accusations that Britain is drifting towards a Police State, by announcing radically more draconian powers for the Police - powers that not even the police want. At present the police have section 44 powers that enable the police to detain and search whoever they want without any reasonable suspicion. The test case that went to the House of Lords showed that the Police can use these powers arbitrarily and do not have to ever say why they stopped someone - even if it's because they don't like the colour of their skin. The most famous misuse of these poweres was to stop 82 year old Walter Wolfgang from re-entering the Labour Party conference in 2005. Several members of the Taking Liberties team have earned their section 44 wings during the making of the film. Thousands of peaceful protesters have been stopped demonstrating and a massively disproportionate number of Muslim men have been hassled using these powers. In all over 100,000 people have been detained using section 44 in the past 7 years.

The number of terrorists caught? None.

So what does our Tony do? Announce he wants to extend these powers. As this announcement was with the usual tough rhetoric in the Murdoch Press, there's precious little policy detail (this normally gets improvised the night before the bill goes through parliament) but it seems that the police will soon be able to:
-Stop anyone in the street without there being suspicion of a crime.
-Demand to know your name, DOB and address, and see identification.
-Demand to know where you have been and where you are going.
Refusal to comply with any of the above would result in a £5000 fine.

Sounds like a recipe for national harmony, apart from:

1) New Labour repeatedly said, when introducing ID Cards, that they would never be demanded on the spot to create a "papers please!" society.
2) The people who are most likely to be unfairly treated under these powers would be young Muslim men.
3) The Police don't want these powers. Several senior police officers told the Guardian that these new powers are not needed, have not been asked for, and will only make the terrorist problem worse.
4) Even senior New Labour Figures are publicly rubbishing the idea. Peter Hain said that these powers will only serve to radicilise people even further and could end up being the British Equivalent of Guantanamo Bay.

But apart from these little niggles, sounds like a great idea.

Tony says ta-ta to Torture and signs an Oil Deal

Blair's grand farewell just keeps on getting more and more classy. As part of his whistle stop "Giz a Job!" tour to mark the end of his reign, he has spent 5 days mincing round Africa to try and boost his value as an after dinner speaker. Journalists wanting to get on board Tony's Jet (Already nicknamed "Vanity Blair") were being told to stump up £1800 if they wanted to fly with his highness. Most of the Broadsheet Journalists have balked at this, but there is a large delegation from Men's Vogue on board the flight to cover Blair's every move..

The trip has neatly avoided anywhere that has gone to shit during Blair's reign, which is sadly most of the continent, but Blair made sure that he touched down in Libya to spend a few hours with his best pal, Colonel Gadaffi. Despite Libya's horrendous and ongoing human rights record, the nutty Colonel will always have a special place in Blair's heart. New Labour is still doing it's very best to send various unfortunates back to Libya to be Tortured (including Omar deghayes), and Blair is still maintaining that - thanks to his soothing influence - Gadaffi is no longer a bloodthirsty despot, but a cuddly amiable despot who wouldn't hurt a fly. And the fact that BP are signing a multi billion dollar deal with the man is neither here nor there...

Goldsmith Refuses to Publish Iraq Torture Advice

Anyone have a feeling of Deja Vu? Goldsmith's secret filing cabinet must be fit to bursting. Not only is he having to hide away:
-The advice he gave on the Iraq War.
-The Reasons why he dropped the BAE Fraud enquiry.
-Why he still hasn't properly excused himself from any decision making role in the cash for peerages affair.
But poor of Lord "Fag Packet" Goldsmith is now having to hide away the advice he gave about the use of Torture in Iraq by British Soldiers. This all stems from legal advice issued by the flexible Attorney General on whether the Human Rights Act (and in particular the ban on torture) applies when British Soldiers are dealing with Iraqi Civilians. This comes after a spate of incidents where British Soldiers have been blatantly mistreating and torturing Iraqis, which seems to have stemmed from the fact that they were not given clear instructions that hooding and being forced in the stress position is completely illegal. Goldsmith denies that he gave advice that would lead to Torture, but - strangely - is still refusing to publish the advice to put himself in the clear. He's almost certainly going to need a bigger filing cabinet.

Fairford Two Are Cleared

This is an unexpectedly bold move by a British Judge, that has enabled 2 peace activists to be cleared over trying to stop planes taking off from Fairford on the eve of the Iraq War. The pair were caught red handed trying to put the planes out of action, but as their defence they claimed that they were trying to stop a greater crime being committed by the illegal invasion of Iraq. This defence has been tried by numerous protesters and activists, but has, until now, been thrown out before it's heard by a jury. But with the Fairford Two the Judge allowed this defence to be presented, and the Jury found them not guilty. This is the furthest the Judiciary has gone to date in declaring the Iraq War illegal, and could be a crucial step towards bringing some of the perpetrators of the war to book. Geoff Hoon - if you're reading this - they criminal defence lawyers at takelegaladvice.com are very reasonable...

FIRST PREVIEW SOLD OUT

Yes the good people of the midlands came out in force to see Taking Liberties at Warwick Arts Centre on Saturday the 26th. We had a queue and everything. And the reaction was extremely good - laughs, tears, and angry tutting in all the right places... and there were even a few claps for the Rendair sequence.

Review in Birmingham Mail.

The campaign to get the film shown in the Midlands on the opening weekend continues - watch this space. It also seems that there are other campaigns starting up to get the film in other cities, including Glasgow.

Next preview screenings are next week. There are ones at various picturehouse cinemas on June 5th (including special panel debate at the Ritzy in Britxton and Directors Q&A at the Greenwich Picturehouse) one at the Everyman Cinema on June 6th, A Big Issue one at the Rich Mix Cinema on June 7th.

Tony's Totally Lost It

Over the weekend the Sunday Times published an article by our dying king, in which he clearly states that civil Liberties are a waste of time and he no longer believes in the Rule Of Law.

Full Article

But the highlights are:

"Within the next few weeks we will publish new proposals on anti-terror laws. Our aim is to reach a consensus across the main political parties. "

Nurse! The Screens! The opposition parties have all said they this new legislation is barking mad and even his own party is completely incredulous as to how on earth he thinks he can get a new terrorism act through in a month - especially as it seems that only John Reid is taking his calls.

"After September 11, 2001, in common with many other nations, we passed new anti terror laws."

Correct that New Labour rammed through a draconian anti terror law after the twin towers atrocity, incorrect that other nations passed laws anything close to what Britain had. Britain and the US were the only nations to abolish Habeas Corpus and allow the government to lock up foreign nationals without charge. Fortunately the House of Lords effectively tore up the 2001 anti terrorism act in 2004, and called it a greater threat to our way of life than Al Qaeda.

"So we were forced to opt for the much milder remedy of control orders, applicable to both foreign and British nationals. These do not involve detention. They impose some limits on the individual’s freedom."

Firstly no-one forced the government to do anything. They could have just not passed the 2005 act that brought house arrest without charge into Britain. Secondly it is hardly a "milder" option, when he extended arbitrary detention from just foreign nationals to everyone - including British Citizens. And thirdly the last 2 sentences are completely contradictory, by saying that Control Orders do not involve detention, but that they do impose some limits on an individuals freedom. But these limits on your freedom can be increased to a level where you can be locked up in your own home 24 hours a day... a form of detention.

"In addition, after September 11, and again after July 7, we have tried continually to deport foreign nationals who were either engaged in or inciting extremism."

Here Blair has completely abandoned any pretence that he cares whatsoever about the Rule Of Law. In most of these cases the accusations of links to terrorism had not been proved in court of law, and in some cases no formal charges had ever been brought. So in Blair's eyes there is no differentiation between a suspect and someone who is guilty.

"We have chosen as a society to put the civil liberties of the suspect, even if a foreign national, first. I happen to believe this is misguided and wrong."

I wonder if he feels the same way when it comes to:
-Lord Levy's involvement in Cash for peerages affair
-Tony Blair's involvement in Cash for peerages affair
-Tony Blair's involvement in Rendition Flights
-Tony Blair's involvement in starting an illegal war in Iraq.

Strangely whenever these issues are mentioned, suddenly everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

"Their right to traditional civil liberties comes first. I believe this is a dangerous misjudgment. This extremism, operating the world over, is not like anything we have faced before."

Bullshit. What about the Nazis you idiot? What about The Cold War? The threat today may be different, but it is preposterous to say that we are under a threat unlike anything we've seen before.

"This extremism can be defeated. But it will be defeated only by recognising that we have not created it."

Just gobsmacking really. A last desperate attempt to try to convince whoever will listen that Iraq is not a cause of the terrorist threat. But he is now going one further by pushing the absurd logic that the only way to stop terrorism is to stop blaming him for it.

And over the weekend we saw exactly what the mad king has in mind to stop the baddies... another post coming up.

And also a few people complained that the ITN Control orders clip was trick to find so we've put it up on youtube.

It's all kicking off

It's been a mental couple of days. In no particular order....

First 5 star review!

From the Birmingham Mail - which is nice of them. And an extended plug for the film's first public screening which is at Warwick Arts Centre on Saturday 26th May. Tickets still available but starting to shift so book now to avoid heartache.

ITN News

Used a scene from Taking Liberties in piece on Control Orders. More on the Control Order story below, but it was deeply satisfying to have us inter cut with "Dr" John Reid trying to look tough outside Downing Street.

See The Clip

Myspace traffic still very strong. We should have a new viral/sketch/webclip coming very soon, so watch this space...


The Brummies are revolting!

Even though the press in the midlands is raving about the film, it is still not showing anywhere in the midlands on the opening weekend. A few people in Birmingham have started a campaign to see it, which just involves emailing your local cinema and telling them that they should screen it. Apparently Cineworld Broadstreet Birmingham is the most likely to go for it, so please email them and tell them you want them to open it along with the rest of the country on June 8th. Write to customer.services@cineworld.co.uk

It's been a busy couple of days in the news for civil liberties...

Google launches Fortune Teller Service

Google has taken it's smug hype to a whole new level by saying that it will soon be able to use what it knows about you from your Internet behaviour, to start telling you how you can live your life. The CEO Eric Schmidt (a man who is so damn cool and smug he has a full size snooker table in his toilet) gleefully told a conference in London "The goal is to enable Google users to be able to ask questions such as:
-'What shall I do tomorrow?', and
-'What job shall I take?'."
Presumably the correct responses are:
-'Tomorrow I shall remove Google from my homepage as they are using private data to make even more money out of me', and
-'any job other than work for google as they obviously have less respect for individual privacy than New Labour.'

John McCarthy Condemns "24"

For helping make torture acceptable. John knows better than anyone what a barbaric and completely counter productive practice torture is, so it's good to see him lining up to slate the crypto-facist wankfest that is "24". Taking Liberties has it's own pop at "24" for much the same reason, he also uses the same clip in his argument as we use in the film (Jack Baur shoots man in the knee and threatens to do the other one unless he talks)

The current resurgence in the use of Torture in The War Against Terror stems from the myth that is the "ticking clock" argument: A bomb's about to go off, and the only way to stop it is to torture someone to get the information you need. The only problem with this argument is that this has never happened once in the history of the world ever. When the proponents of Torture (George Bush, Tony Blair, Jack Straw, "Dr" John Reid and Rupert Murdoch) tell us that Torture is sometimes necessary, they can never describe a single occasion where the ticking clock scenario has actually happened.

Control Order Suspects still on the run.

So to avoid embarrassment, John Reid wants to declare a state of emergency. This was the subject of the ITN news story that used a couple of clips on the film, and the row is still showing no signs of going away. A quick recap:

-A cornerstone of the the Rule of Law is that no one can be detained unless they have been charged with a crime.
-When Britain has tried Internment (ie locking people up without charge) in Northern Ireland in the 70's, it backfired completely and actually helped recruit people to the IRA.
-After 9/11 Blair and Blunkett panicked and brought in a law that gave them the power to detain foreign suspected terrorists without charge. They tried to derogate from the Human Rights Act with the claim that there was "a genuine threat to the life of the nation".
-When the law was tested in 2004, the Law Lords threw out this argument and declared that the real threat to the life of the nation was not from terrorism, but from laws like that.
-Blair and Charles Clarke went back to the drawing board and came up with "Control Orders". This means that the home secretary can now put anyone under house arrest without charge. All he needs is a reasonable suspicion (no need for evidence) and you can be held indefinitely.
-The first problem with this is that completely innocent people end up getting completely screwed - one of them is Mouloud Shihali whose devastating story is told in the film (and this is the clip they used on ITN News)
-The other problem is that people who really are dangerous aren't charged and locked up properly... they just get left on control orders from which anyone can escape from if they put their mind to it.
-At the moment 6 of the 17 people who were placed under control orders are currently on the run. The Government on the one hand has said that these men are so dangerous that they need to be placed under house arrest without charge, but as soon as they do a runner we are told they aren't dangerous in the slightest and there is no need to panic.
-"Dr" John Reid yesterday blamed the whole scenario on whinging Liberals like us, and said that if only he had the power to lock up anyone he wants and throw away the key, we would all be completely safe.
-"Dr" Reid, has also said that he is going to declare a "state of emergency" in order to overturn the offending part of the human rights act (ie the presumption of innocence, Habeas Corpus and other pesky rights) so that he can detain who he wants with impunity.

But what is this state of emergency? Where are all these terrorist attacks that we keep being told are going to happen? And if these men really are that dangerous, why don't the police charge them in the usual way, try them before a jury, and if guilty put them in prison where they belong? New Labour is the very first to howl about "innocent until proven guilty" when it comes to the cash for honours affair, but as soon as the "suspect" is a dodgy looking Muslim bloke with a beard then the rule of law no longer applies.

Amnesty International condemns New Labour. Again.

Not that New Labour is going to take a blind bit of notice, but Amnesty's annual report has condemned Britain's record on Human rights, from curtailing the free speech of anti war protesters, to failing to stand up to the US over Guantanamo Bay. Tony Blair's response? Books himself in for a manicure before his tough day on the sofa with Richard and Judy...

And finally...

Robert Rodriguez to remake Barbarella

OK nothing whatsoever to do with civil liberties, but looks pretty damn cool.

New Narration

The narration for Taking Liberties has just been re-recorded by the wonderful David Morrissey .

You heard it on the Blog first.

And boy is he good. Apart from being one of the the best actors of his generation, there is the wonderful irony that David famously played Gordon Brown in Steven Frears award winning drama "The Deal" based around the turbulent relationship between Blair and Brown.

Some might say we are cutting it a bit fine (we are) but the machinations surrounding the narration for Taking Liberties have been the subject of the biggest rows in film making since James Cameron wanted to make a little film about a boat that sank. However we now have something we are completely delighted with and maybe, just maybe, the film might actually be finished in time for people to see it on June 8th.

Tony Blair is clearly doing all he can to make sure his legacy is well and firmly entrenched before he packs his bags...

No 10 Website hosts racist petition

A BNP led campaign to ban a new Mosque in East London has found a home on Blair's website. Number 10 has distanced itself from it by saying that "The views expressed in e-petitions in no way reflect those of the Government or Downing Street." Strange though that they haven't pulled it down immediately as they do to petitions calling for Blair to be tried as a war criminal.

DNA Database Screw up allows 200 crimes to be committed

This can't be right surely? The DNA Database is foolproof?!? The men at the IT Firm we gave hundreds of millions to said that as long as we kept giving them money it would be perfect. It didn't say anywhere in the contract that errors would go undetected for 11 years and allow a string of rapes, burglaries and arson offences to happen that were completely preventable. Ho Hum.

Blair Might get Wolfowitz World Bank Job

So it's no all doom and gloom for our Tony. Even though Wolfowitz has been handed his P45 for corruption, the Bush administration is keen to make sure that his replacement as the head of the world bank is also a war mongering neo conservative. And as Tony's got some time on his hands, he is currently being given odds of 25/1 to get the job. But once the world bank gets TB's updated CV, and sees his extensive experience in spending other people's money and dicking over 3rd world countries, these odds are expected to shorten.

Tony Blair – the man that irony forgot

If there’s religious tension in your neighbourhood, who’re you gonna call? Tony Blair!

After 10 years in power, during which time relations between Muslims and Christians have hit about their lowest ebb since the Crusades (thanks in no small part to our glorious leader) Tony has decided that he will set up a foundation to foster interfaith relations.

Times article

A friend is quoted as saying “He sees this as where the action is and nobody else is really doing it.” Does this mean that the War on Terror, Iraq War and general breakdown between Christian and Islamic religions has merely been a ruse to give Tony something to do when he retires?

Now that’s what I call forward planning.