I have to say I agree with the magistrates' spokesman.
It is a known fact that if you give a policeman any new power, no matter how you intend him to use it he will soon step beyond that intention and start using the power for other purposes. They do it now with many of the new powers that NuLabour have introduced since coming in to office. Between May 1997 and August 2006 (Blair's time in office) 3023 new offences were created. They comprised 1,169 introduced by primary legislation - debated in Parliament - and 1,854 by secondary legislation such as statutory instruments and orders in council which were never debated in the house of Commons. In the preceding 9 years under Margaret Thatcher and John Major fewer than 500 new crimes reached the statute book via primary legislation.
How many times have we heard a Labour minister say words to the effect that "Those who do no wrong have nothing to fear" and "We do not intend that this new legislation will be used in the way the Tories/Press are saying it will be" and by now we all know that is utter bollox. The tales of misuse of powers granted for one specific purpose and then taken by the police to enable them to get heavy handed on some innocent soul are legion. Look at a defenceless old man arrested and threatened under the Terrorism Laws for calling Jack Straw a liar. Look at the numbers being tasered for refusing to play "Statues" when a policeman shouts at them.
Resist this legislative proposal with everything you have and never forget:
First they came for the Communists, and I didn?t speak up, because I wasn?t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn?t speak up, because I wasn?t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn?t speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.
I have never been more serious in my life! Get these people out NOW!!!
