17 June 2008 162 views No Comment Print This Post  Email This Post

David Davis launches David Davis For Freedom site today. While he seems to be getting panned by Westminster commentators and a large section of the press for ruining his political career, many myself included are delighted to see a politician actually take a stand for something that they believe in.

42 days imprisonment - without knowing the charges you face - is a draconian measure that both undermines our fundamental freedoms, and jeopardises our security. But the issue runs far deeper. Whether it is talking tough on terror, the rise of the database state or the growth of a surveillance society, the size, role and reach of government is now out of control. This government increasingly treats our fundamental freedoms with disdain. I believe it is time to take a stand.

That aside I think many people are getting fed up of this governments steady erosion of civil liberties including dilutions of the right to trial by jury, the impending identity cards, restrictions on freedom of speech, and now an extension to the period in which you can be detained without criminal charges.

The problem is not only that these historical laws enshrined in UK tradition, have been hard fought for and won over the ages, but the changes to the laws are freely open to abuse.

These changes to the law are frequently justified as being used to deal with terrorism in order to gain popular support. People that speak out against them are branding as being soft on terrorism. In reality, those that speak out know that any new rules won’t only be used to deal with terrorists, but can easily be used against the people that the government claim they are trying to protect.

Already we have seen new powers being used for -

• Inflammatory speech powers that were designed to stop religious hatred being used to deal with pensioners protesting against the expansion of Heathrow
• Suspending protests in Parliament Square
• Local councils spying on families to investigate school applications
• And even snooping in your litter bins

There has to come a time when government powers and the abuse of those powers outweighs any marginal benefit that changes to civil liberties may have - that time has come and I for one applaud David Davis for taking a stance.