Not quite off topic - Form 696

[fredv3b]

National compulsory DNA databases, biometric identity cards, detention without trial for terrorist suspects, the extension of time that that suspects may be held pre-trial, the imposition of control orders, anti-social behaviour orders (which often lead to criminalising people for civil offences), most frequently used incidence of electronic surveillance in Europe (possibly in the so-called free world?), a succession of acts of parliament (including the Terrorism Acts of 2000 and 2006 and the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act of 2005) restricting the rights to free speech, changes to extradition law (including co-operation with states operating the disgusting practice of extraordinary rendition), the impending logging of all telephone calls and e-mail messages to a central database, even radio frequency identification tagging on everyday products... the last eight years have been very busy putting all the machinery in place for a totalitarian regime to walk right in. Whilst perhaps insignificant in comparison with some of these more fundamental changes to the ways we have regarded ourselves as a nation Form 696 is a part of a picture where one can envisage the eventual centralisation of personal information on a scale hitherto only practised by the Stasi.

Apologies but I have a nitpick here, the issue is not so much detention without trial for terrorism suspects, its detention without charge. But you are right we have a Parliament (certainly a House of Commons) that will pass almost any security legislation.

We, USA, is so lucky to have some sanity come in January. One of the first pieces of business, reported in the first few days after the WIN was that our president elect will be rolling back MANY MANY MANY of the laws of OUR DEAR LEADER, many that resemble the above list... They are talking about having a desk next to the swearing in podium where Obama can go over and take off the books many of the last admins laws. YEAH America! Free again, LOL.

Presidents do not pass laws (Executive Orders excepted), Congress does. GW Jnr may have been in favour of these laws, but it took Congress to pass them, it will take Congress to repeal them. Marshlander lists many lamentable recent UK laws but at least we did not try to restrict Habeus Corpus!