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Blunkett warns over ‘Big Brother’ Britain

By Andrew Grice, Political Editor

David Blunkett, who introduced the idea of identity cards when Home Secretary, will issue a stark warning to the Government tomorrow that it is in danger of abusing its power by taking Britain towards a “Big Brother” state.

At the 21st annual law lecture in Essex University’s Colchester campus, Mr Blunkett will urge ministers to rethink policy and counter criticism from civil liberties campaigners that Labour is creating a “surveillance society.”

He will come out against the Government’s controversial plan to set up a database holding details of telephone calls and emails and its proposal to allow public bodies to share personal data with each other.

His surprise intervention will be welcomed by campaign groups, who regard him as a hardliner because of his strong backing for a national ID card scheme and tough anti-terror laws. The former home secretary will propose a U-turn on ID cards for British citizens, although he agrees with plans to make them compulsory for foreign nationals.

Instead, holding a passport would become compulsory for all British people, who could choose to “opt in” to the ID card scheme if they wished.

Mr Blunkett will insist Labour has got the balance between liberty and security broadly right. But he will argue that it has unwittingly given ammunition to its critics by allowing legislation to be used for wider purposes than originally intended.

For example, the 2000 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, intended to bring in proper rules and oversight, resulted in the “absurdity” of council officials using it to tackle dog fouling and monitor household waste.

Mr Blunkett will urge the Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, to water down provisions in the Coroners and Justice Bill on data sharing between public bodies. He will warn: “It is not simply whether the intentions are benign, undoubtedly they are, but whether they are likely to be misused and above all what value their use may have.”

He “remains to be convinced” about plans of the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, for a giant central database to store records of phone calls, text messages and the websites people access.

Mr Blunkett will argue that people’s rights are already being breached – not by the Government but by “private enterprise surveillance and intrusion, coupled with data theft, fraud and information and data insecurity”. He will call for the Information Commissioner to be given greater powers in these areas.

He insists that Britain is not yet a surveillance state but will warn ministers: “The strength of our democracy is that we are able to challenge when the well-meaning, but sometimes misguided, take their own knowledge of the threats we face to be justification for protecting our mutual interest at the expense of our individual freedom. If we tolerate the intolerable, the intolerable gradually becomes the norm.”

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The burnt-out case
[info]david_moss wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 01:08 am (UTC)
David Blunkett is the Education Secretary under whom confidence in the quality of education delivered collapsed.

David Blunkett is the Home Secretary who suspended habeas corpus.

David Blunkett is the Home Secretary who ridiculed judges for dispensing the laws of his own government.

David Blunkett is the Home Secretary whose actions were declared illegal by the UK Law Lords and by EU lawyers.

David Blunkett is the Home Secretary who filled the prisons to overflowing while failing to take any steps to build more.

There is a certain consistency in his tenure of office and the distinctive tang of napalm over education and civil liberties. Now even that has gone.
Re: The burnt-out case
[info]terry_walpole wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 05:37 am (UTC)
Quite right Mossy.

Blunkett is a coward.

What will he say next, now that he is out of office, to ingratiate himself with the Nu Lab Kult hating public?
Re: The burnt-out case
[info]neil_mcgowan wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 09:15 am (UTC)
Remember when this spineless ar*ehole got a visa for his mistress's Filipina nanny?

That's the kind of spineless thug Flunk-it is. Missed by no-one, hated by all!
Re: The burnt-out case
[info]philly_uk wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 10:11 pm (UTC)
Also the man that wanted prison rioters to be "Machinegunned"..

This is quite a flip-flop, maybe it's purpose is to say that the UK COULD become a Police State, as opposed to the fact that it already IS one.

Either that or he woke up when he found out Hamza was MI5 after enquiring about his house/benefits/citizenship (The US and France want him, he's in UK jail for protection)

This is more likely a bit of false opposition from someone with little influence now.
"Big Brother" Britain
[info]racoluk wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 01:46 am (UTC)
How can you believe a word that these politicians say? They swing in the prevailing winds.
[info]jonpaulr wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 01:50 am (UTC)
Two comments that Mr Blunkett said here are spot on

The strength of our democracy is that we are able to challenge when the well-meaning, but sometimes misguided, take their own knowledge of the threats we face to be justification for protecting our mutual interest at the expense of our individual freedom. If we tolerate the intolerable, the intolerable gradually becomes the norm

it has unwittingly given ammunition to its critics by allowing legislation to be used for wider purposes than originally intended

I just hope he actually means them
OMG!!
[info]ancientoneuk wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 01:51 am (UTC)
This is one of the main architects behind the CCA, LLRB and RIPA...

This is the man that enabled any non-police officer working for a local authority with the power to have you surveilled, your home invaded, your life shaken down, all that council worker had to do was state he or she thought you were committing a crime.

The LLRB was a failed attempt by Blair et al to seize power and bypass parliament, allowing the Prime Minister to rule by decree literally, he and his chosen cabinet could change laws and amend anything in the UK as they saw fit without the need to ask anyone.

This is the man that like Hodge, in his earlier years supported a Soviet invasion and takeover of Britain...

This is also the man that had been found out not once, not twice but at least three times to be a liar, a fraud, part of the reason our country is in such a mess is purely down to this person and his legacy after being thankfully driven out of power.

And notice the side shuffle on the ID cards, we won't have the ID cards but will all have to have enforced passports instead, ID cards in other guise, this will gain traction and so NuLabour will again try and force through these tools of the fascist onto us.

And it was Blunkett that enabled "private" enterprise to be able to buy stuff wholesale from the government, the government sells things like the DVLA database to anyone who wants to stump up the cash, your name, DOB, address, car details all for sale thanks to NuLabour...

The man is a moron and one can hope that one day he will fall into a very deep hole and stay there...
Intolerable
[info]testing_times wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 02:23 am (UTC)
I don't feel we should be quick to knock a good thing. Undoubtedly this is a big development. One questions why it is that many only seem to see sense when they leave office? Don't suppose there's any chance of a return - Smith's been teetering a bit of late? Seriously, while Blunkett's views are to be welcomed, they don't go far enough, especially with just a 'watering down' of provisions in the Coroners and Justice Bill. I'm highly skeptical of the notion of an ?opt in? to the ID card scheme. As far as I'm concerned it's either implemented or it's not, with no half-way measures, and I'm strongly opposed to implementation. One might say I find the idea of an 'opt in' intolerable; and to use Blunkett's own words: "If we tolerate the intolerable, the intolerable gradually becomes the norm".

So at last they have noticed the public are angry!
[info]imogenlucy wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 02:45 am (UTC)

But has he said anything about the national identity database, which will carry all your private details, like fingerprints, iris scans, links to your medical records, credit history, driving record, travel, qualifications, ... (the list is long) ?

And please could someone explain to me what the difference is between an ID card and a compulsory biometric passport?
Blunkett
[info]safwan09 wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 02:49 am (UTC)
Only few years ago Mr. Blunkett was talking as if he was one of these bnp lads, who need to look beyound their noses for better quality of mind, instead now, with probably more fresh air around him, he remembers that individual freedom should be untouchable.
smoke and mirrors
[info]imogenlucy wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 02:55 am (UTC)
it is not the ID card but the national identity database which is the real threat to your privacy and freedom
It is Evident.
[info]thisanthat wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 03:33 am (UTC)
it is evident from the above, Twister Blunket (pensions are a thing of the past and you all must work until you drop) is to be the next come back kid?
Sorry Mr Wolf
[info]exogamist wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 06:51 am (UTC)
Sorry Mr Wolf, you look nothing like my granny
"Big Brother" society
[info]bernardmarchois wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 07:43 am (UTC)
Don't worry, England. It's worse in France.
Bernard MARCHOIS, a Frenchman who's registred in most of the 30 French police files.
Because I'm a terrorist? Not at all. I just disagree with Mr. Sarkozy's politics and dare say it.
Liar
[info]sparks_2009 wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 08:34 am (UTC)
Blunkett hasn't done any kind of U-Turn at all...

The name of the ID card has just changed to Passport...As in the 'pass cards' of the apartheid South African regime.

So will the ID card law now become the UK's 'Pass Law'?

Re: Liar
[info]wixamtree wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 09:45 am (UTC)
As children, we used to play games in which one of us would play a pompous officer from some repressive regime. "Papers please. Why have you not got your papers?" We laughed. Is it inevitable that we are now actually becoming a society in which, if you cannot present your "papers" or pass documents, you will be taken to one side? What is happening?
Who is a foreign national?
[info]arion444 wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 09:42 am (UTC)
As an expat American, married to a British citizen, and in possession of a Residency Permit granting me "Indefinite Leave to Stay", I am consistently appalled by the notion that ID Cards and collecting biometric data on "foreign nationals...only!, is acceptable. I've already been examined six ways to Sunday before I even set foot in this country as a resident, and now I, and many, many others, have to be subjected to the whole invasive process (at my expense) all over again? I think not. Especially since I do not have a legal right to vote in the due process in this nation, from local to national level, and also be expected to pay tax to boot. What an insult. I now wonder, who is a 'foreign national?' Currently, this government seeks to make everyone a foreigner, merely by suggesting that they must have a UK Passport. Ridiculous. They are already who they are, regardless of the bovine tagging that governments love to impose in the name of 'security.'

So, I will refuse said tagging, even if it means deportation. Then the Home Office will have to deal with the fact of a broken relationship, and limp along without my contributions. What is most depressing is how everyone who has a vote here, and disagrees with these policies, only complains alot, and not much else. The colonists in America revolted against the British monarchy on much the same grounds. What ever happened to courage?
Re: Who is a foreign national?
[info]ratcatcher911 wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 10:36 am (UTC)
And what are US citizens doing exactly?
I wish you folks would stop clumsily brandishing your own version of history to make dubious points.
The American "Revolution" was more about fat blokes not wanting to pay taxes on their plantations than freedom for the little man from British control. And "you" weren't that good in a fight (despite all the huffing and puffing) and most of the people on "your" side were first generation British or the children of same.
And we're not "just complaining". There's a lot going on out there if you want to get involved. How about joining NO2ID? that would be a good place to start.
Or what do you think we should do? Start shooting people? Who exactly?
Re: Who is a foreign national?
[info]arion444 wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 02:40 pm (UTC)
I am a descendent of English/Welsh families, so I don't know what you're going on about. I am just as peeved with my own citizens re: the deafening silence during eight years of Bush. Very few over there dare to stick their head above the parapet as well. And I would never dream of telling you or anyone else what to do. Shooting folks usually gets you shot, so no option there. However, what would happen if a couple hundred thousand chose to go to Whitehall and camp out for a few days, in spite of all protests being banned within one-half mile of Parliment? Gosh, its bad in the U.S. these days (free speech 'zones' and all that), but at least the U.S. gov hasn't had the guts to actually 'ban' certain types of free speech and demonstrations like here in the U.K. Besides, I posted my bit to just share what I choose to do with this kind of drivel, not to tell the Brits what to do. However, a little revolution may be better than none at all. If everyone is forced to have a British passport, and to produce them on demand, then that's an ID card, innit? Then all of you will be foreigners in your own country.

Oh, and if the colonialists weren't that good in a fight, how come Britain lost to them...twice (1812) ??
New Scotland Yard delenda est.
[info]ron_broxted wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 10:15 am (UTC)
After the G8 summit in London in April a good percentage of these chaps stand a chance of swinging from lamp posts. US funding is already withdrawing from UK as it is seen as bad a risk as Cuba under Batista or Vietnam in '74.
Our Privacy for sale to Business
[info]asonberg wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 11:02 am (UTC)
I am all for the Information Commissioner having greater powers but this will be pointless unless we get an Information Commissioner with with decent technological credentials who can understand the technology involved. We dont have that.

This can clearly be seen regarding the illegal BT/Phorm trials of 2006 and 2007 when the internet connections of tens of thousands of BT customers were illegally intercepted without customer consent by BT and Phorm in order to trial an advertising platform. Bear in mind this was not interception for the purposes of National Security or Counter Terrorism ,where there is at least an arguable case in favour, no, this was for the purposes of advertising.

This was the online equivalent of the Post Office opening all your mail, reading it then building a digest of the most commonly used words and then using that to send you a better class of junkmail.

What was the Information Commissioners response to the illegal wiretapping of TENS OF THOUSANDS of people? They gave the green light to BT and Phorm (a company with a history of spyware and rootkits when they were called 121media). Similarly the City Of London Police refused to investigate the case because they admitted it was too complex for them to understand. Currently the Crown Prosecution Service is considering whether to allow a private prosecution of BT. I dont hold out much hope.

Only the EU is standing up for our rights in this instance. EU Telecomms Commissioner Viviane Reding
has recently written to the UK government for the 3rd time demanding to know why the UK authorities have not investigated and prosecuted BT.

Mr Bliunkett is right when he says that people's rights are being breeched by private enterprise surveillance and intrusion. What is worse is that rather than protecting us from this intrusion, the government is actively enouraging them in this endeavour. Our privacy is for sale to the highest bidder and its disgraceful. People need to wake up to what is going on.


Meanwhile....
[info]zanulabour wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 12:02 pm (UTC)
the short Straw and citizen Smith have decided between them,that we will tolerate all the neofascist laws that they and their Whitehall arse lickers have been dreaming of.I am looking forward to a summer of civil disobedience,that will hopefully last until the next election,when 95% of the electorate turns up and wipes the labour party of the political map...forever
Re: Meanwhile....
[info]asonberg wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 02:10 pm (UTC)
zanulabour, you don't seriously think the tories are any better do you? The spyware company I mentioned above (Phorm), after their share price crashed by over 90% over the last year and after huge boardroom struggles, recruited some new people to its board. Who was one of the new people? The conservative peer Norman Lamont. Good to see good old norman is still selling out the british people. He screwed up the economy as a tory chancellor and hes now screwing the public with regards to his very questionable association on the board of a spyware company.

Nearly all politicians have their nose in the trough. The tories are just as bad as labour if not worse. If you think otherwise then you are just sadly deluded.
Re: Meanwhile....
[info]zanulabour wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 03:43 pm (UTC)
Moi ...Delusional
you don't seriously think the tories are any better do you?,..I DIDNT MENTION THE TORIES
He screwed up the economy as a tory chancellor,.......... SOUNDS LIKE GORDY,AND I EMPHASIVE TORY
The tories are just as bad as labour if not worse.................YOU GOT SOMETHING RIGHT


PS.IF YOU THINK I'M DELUDED,CHECK OUT YOUR THUMB NAIL !!!!!!!
Re: Meanwhile....
[info]asonberg wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 04:58 pm (UTC)
You said: "I am looking forward to a summer of civil disobedience,that will hopefully last until the next election,when 95% of the electorate turns up and wipes the labour party of the political map...forever"

Well, if you werent talking about the tories, then who were you talking about? Surely you aren't claiming that the lib dems are going to win the next election? Dont get me wrong. Personally I think it would be refreshing if it were to happen but I arent deluded enough to think it will happen.

Second, yep gordon brown screwed up the economy badly too.

As for my thumbnail/profile picture at least I aren't using the bland default one.

P.S. I didnt say you were deluded. I said you were deluded if you thought the tories were any better than labour which I am relieved to see from your follow up comments that you dont.
Re: Meanwhile....
[info]zanulabour wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 05:13 pm (UTC)
A hung parliament......Change in the voting system
As for the thumbnail,if you show me yours
I'll show you mine ?
Re: Meanwhile....
[info]asonberg wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 05:38 pm (UTC)
Hmmmm. A hung parliament and a change in the voting system. I think I could go along with that. As for a real thumbnail of me, I rarely put my real photo out there on the interwebs. Privacy issue.
Re: Meanwhile....
[info]zanulabour wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 06:07 pm (UTC)
Lets hope everybody goes for it otherwise what remains of the democracy we know and love will disappear under our noses."THE COFFEE'S ON"
False choice between liberty and security
[info]martinbudden wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 03:12 pm (UTC)
"Mr Blunkett will insist Labour has got the balance between liberty and security broadly right."

He doesn't seem to understand that this is a false choice. Much of our security is derived from our liberty. It is possible to choose things that increase both our security and our liberty.

Obama recognised this in his Inaugural Address:

"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."
Worthing Freedom March
[info]imogenlucy wrote:
Monday, 23 February 2009 at 04:23 pm (UTC)


"A REBELLIOUS 'Freedom Picnic' in Worthing town centre on Sunday March 1 will kick off a month-long festival of liberty-related events. ... "

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/02/422628.html
Blunkett is a Menace to Society
[info]blaggarde wrote:
Tuesday, 24 February 2009 at 12:15 am (UTC)
There should be absolutely zero tolerance of Blunkett in the matters of civil liberties, state interference and the autonomy of the citizen. His own record convicts him and, like the sex offenders, he should be placed on a lifetime permanent register.

His ever-present instinct to quash personal autonomy and quell indivdual liberty is equally loud & clear in this current diatribe, and no amount of disingenuous posturing - such as "issuing a stark warning" about a Big Brother state - can disguise it; the man is demented and would gleefully bring about an enslaved Britain if given half an opportunity - as his record already makes clear.

He has squandered his trust - a commodity which can never be regained.

No to Blunkett. Not ever. Never.

LISTEN TO BLUNKETT ???
[info]bgarvie wrote:
Tuesday, 24 February 2009 at 05:14 am (UTC)
Blunkett was about as useful a Home Secretary as an inflatable dart board. It is time this man retired into obscurity. His Party is dysfunctional and cannot be trusted. Nothing he can say will convince the electorate. He is just applying sticking plaster over the holes.
They have a saying
[info]anti_sheeple wrote:
Tuesday, 24 February 2009 at 01:29 pm (UTC)
"Be careful of what you wish for, you might just get it" Blunkett and his cronies kicked off this whole draconian process and now even he is scared of the monster he has created. This is what happens when government attempts to rule over people instead of being servants OF the people, this is the fundamental basis of democracy. Browns government have arrogantly ignored this basic rule and sheeple incapable of thinking "outside the box" have let them get away with it.

If any country in the world deserves a "regime change" then its us.

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