The end of free speech and free protest in the UK

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It’s farewell to your centuries-old right to free speech today, after your Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs won their bid to get the Gagging Bill passed by the House of Lords. It won’t go back to the Commons because the Lords made no amendments.

While you, personally, will be allowed to continue complaining about anything you want, you will no longer have the ability to link up with others to protest government actions in any meaningful way as such action may breach Liberal Democrat and Tory government-imposed spending limits. Your personal complaints will be deemed unrepresentative of the people.

You will still be able to have your e-petition on the government’s website – if you win enough signatures to have it debated in Parliament – ignored by the Tories and Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons.

The Liberal Democrats and Tories have even managed to rub salt into the wound by creating a register of all the corporate lackeys who will still be able to influence their policies – freelance lobbyists employed by large companies for the specific purpose of swaying government policy. Lobbyists who are company employees will not be listed as the government says their purposes for meeting MPs should be obvious.

This means the new law will do nothing to restrict the power of corporations to write government policy or prevent lobbying scandals such as those involving former Tory MP Patrick Mercer, along with Tories Peter Cruddas and Liam Fox.

The new law protects in-house corporate lobbying operations from official scrutiny, while preventing the public from enjoying the same privileges of access to the government. That is what your Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs have fought so assiduously to obtain, over the eight months or so that this legislation, “one of the worst… any government produce[d] in a very long time”, has spent being digested by Parliament.

In a Commons debate in September, Glenda Jackson MP warned that her constituents “know that the Bill… would prevent democratic voices from being heard”.

In response, Andrew Lansley – the Conservative who gave us the hated Health and Social Care Act 2012, another incredibly poor piece of legislation – said; “I look forward to the Honourable Lady having an opportunity… to go back to her constituents, to tell them that the things they are alarmed about will not happen.”

They have happened already. Within 24 hours of the Lords agreeing the Bill in its current form, at least one parody account on Twitter, that was critical of Coalition policies, was closed down: @UKJCP – a satirical account parodying the DWP.

@UKJCP immediately resurrected itself as @DeadParrotJCP and @Director_UKJCP. We’ll see how long they last.

Let us not forget, also, that the third part of this law cracks down on trade unions, enforcing strict rules on membership records to ensure, it seems, that it is possible to ‘blacklist’ any trade unionist who finds him- or herself seeking work.

With free speech flushed away, you may still resort to public protest – but the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has that covered.

ACPO, which is funded by the Home Office, is lobbying the government for permission to use water cannons on the streets of the UK. This would be of no use at all in quelling violent criminal activities like the riots in 2011 – the police chiefs have already admitted that water cannons would have been ineffective in halting the “fast, agile disorder” and “dynamic looting” that took place during August 2011.

ACPO is an organisation that has tried to put ‘agent provocateurs’ into legitimate protest groups and promoted ‘kettling’ to stop peaceful protests (as used in the student protests early in the current Parliament), among many other reprehensible activities.

Considering its track record, it seems clear that ACPO wants to use water cannons against legitimate political protests, on the assumption that the increasing imposition of ideologically-imposed austerity on the country by the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives will lead to more political protests, as people across the UK finally realise that the Tories and their corporate lobbyist friends are actually working against the wider population.

ACPO’s report on water cannons makes it clear that “it would be fair to assume that the ongoing and potential future austerity measures are likely to lead to continued protest” and “the mere presence of water cannon can have a deterrent effect”.

The Home Office response? “We are keen to ensure forces have the tools and powers they need to maintain order on our streets. We are currently providing advice to the police on the authorisation process as they build the case for the use of water cannon.”

So there you have it. Take to the streets in peaceful protest and your police service will assault you with water cannons, with the blessing of your government.

There remains one option open to you – your vote. You could get rid of the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats at the next general election in 2015.

But that leads us to ask why the government has launched its attack on free speech and free protest.

Perhaps it wants to control the information you receive, on which you base your voting intentions?

We already know the unelected Conservative and Liberal Democrat government is using the predominantly right-wing media for this purpose. For example: George Osborne made a great deal of fuss earlier this week, alleging a huge resurgence in the British economy. With help from Tory mouthpiece the BBC, he was able to put out the headline figure that the economy grew by 1.9 per cent in 2013 – its strongest rate since 2007.

Osborne also claimed that Britain is doing better than all comparable economies in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and that the upturn is due to his imbecilic “expansionary fiscal contraction” policy, otherwise known as austerity.

All of these claims are false, or intended to create a false impression.

Firstly, his 1.9 per cent of growth started at a much lower level of output than would have been the case if Osborne had not imposed austerity on us all and stopped the 2010 recovery dead. GDP would now be 20 per cent higher than its current levels if not for this single act of stupidity from the stupidest Chancellor in British history.

Secondly: The US economy recovered from an eight per cent fall after 2008 to a five per cent rise above its previous peak by the third quarter of 2013. Germany is the only major European country to enjoy growth of two per cent or higher, after an initial recovery based on increased public expenditure – not austerity. Even France has nearly reached its pre-crisis peak. The UK remains two per cent below its previous economic peak.

Finally, Osborne did not even get to this miserable excuse for a recovery by imposing austerity. He quietly adopted a stimulus policy to avoid going back into recession. What do you think ‘Funding for Lending’ is? Or his mortgage guarantee scheme?

All this is clarified by Michael Meacher MP in his own blog.

If George Osborne, Home Secretary Theresa May, ACPO and the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition in Parliament had their way, you would not have access to any of these facts.

You would be led to believe that the governments policies are working, exactly the way the government says they are working.

You would not have any reason to believe that the government is lying to you on a daily basis.

You would be tranquillised.

Anaesthetised.

Compliant.

Would you vote against a government that tells you such wonderful things, even when your own circumstances might not reflect that story (real wages fell by seven per cent in the private sector and five per cent in the public sector between 2007-13)?

David Cameron is betting his career that you won’t.

He wants you to be a good little sheep.

Is that what you are?

Follow me on Twitter: @MidWalesMike

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145 Comments

  1. Paul Smyth January 29, 2014 at 2:28 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on The Greater Fool.

    • Toe January 30, 2014 at 12:16 am - Reply

      let people rant and rave on face book and blog sites, as long as they stay in there home they will be shouting in an empty void where nothing happens.
      who will be the people who take to the streets and put their lives and freedom on the line? probably the youth of the day until they get beat and locked up.
      where are the real people who will stand up against the police and water cannons, who can organise themselves and beat the authorities back with the weapons that are used against them?
      every protest ends up the same way, protesters get corralled then beat up, and very few fight back. those who do get demonised. I think we have all seen peaceful demonstrations don’t work. why not go to demo’s armed up the same as the police?
      or are the people of this country scared to fight for their rights, for real, or is it that they rather someone else does it for them.

      • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 12:25 am - Reply

        Tell you what – there’s a nationwide demonstration against Atos, taking place at assessment centres across the UK on February 19. Details are at http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2014/01/21/will-you-support-the-day-of-action-against-atos/ so all you have to do is look up your local event and turn up to it. Tell all your friends and urge them to attend as well – then, when you go, you’ll be able to see who else turns up and that will give you the answer to your last (very significant and important) question.

        You might think people really can’t be bothered, and really do want someone else to do the heavy lifting for them, but you have to give them the chance to prove the opposite.

        And to anyone else reading this, feel free to take part in this challenge as well. Find out about your local demonstration, ask all your friends to go, and then you’ll find out how many really care about their freedoms and how many are the kind of “good little sheep” that keep David Cameron in caviar (or whatever it is he scoffs at Number 10).

      • Toe January 30, 2014 at 1:59 am - Reply

        I already know the answers to my questions Mike. the history of demonstrations in this country pretty much answers it. nothing is ever achieved. demonstrators get beat up then arrested, then the rest get scared and leave. there is always the hardcore who remain but the numbers are so small, they get demoralised and end up leaving as well.
        would be nice if the atos demo’s done good, but there have been plenty of them and atos are still there sending people to their death. why would one more day of action change anything, when it will be ignored just like all the others.
        when the police say move back, say NO, when they push you push back. they only have power over you if you allow them to have it.

        • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 9:18 am - Reply

          Now, if demonstrations started attracting people in continually larger numbers, the government might start taking notice – but when’s that going to happen when people like your good self are advocating the opposite?

      • Barry Davies January 30, 2014 at 8:09 am - Reply

        I hope that the anti ATOS protest is well supported but as the majority of people affected are the disabled there could be difficulties in them getting there. the closest to me is 20 miles away, but if I can manage it dependent on the day I will be there.

      • Barry Davies January 30, 2014 at 9:38 am - Reply

        Actually thinking about it I would get better care if I was in prison, Hmmm could be a positive outcome of the new laws. All disabled get arrested to get the care denied by atos.

      • Joseph Smith January 31, 2014 at 11:32 am - Reply

        I think Cameron is typical of his class, arrogant fairly stupid, and minus much intelligence. I know he’s been expensively educated but education minus the intelligence counts for nothing. He’s so arrogant, he dismisses any and all criticism, when if he kept his fat mouth shut for a while he might just learn something. I believe his politics are Fascist in orientation and his self belief reminds me of other dictatorial leaders in the past whose feckless hard line policies ultimately counted for nothing and their legacy is despised. We need rid of these pompous oafs who defrauded their way in to power via back door deals based on a web of lies and deceit. Roll on 2015 let’s re-claim our country for us.

      • ramune January 31, 2014 at 5:43 pm - Reply

        I guess we need to put on the diving gear:)

      • him February 1, 2014 at 3:04 am - Reply

        Ghandi / Tolstoy.

    • Adam hope January 30, 2014 at 12:04 pm - Reply

      Yay David Cameron sticks his d*** in another part of the country. I can see us all claiming asylum in Iraq one day.

      • Billy Ross January 30, 2014 at 11:58 pm - Reply

        Wow, I laughed at that when I first read it, assuming it was satirical banter, but in retrospect it’s actually quite profound, and very possibly true!

        • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 12:35 am - Reply

          Well, it’s factually accurate, if that’s what you mean!

    • Fourthletter58 (@Fourthletter58) January 30, 2014 at 1:10 pm - Reply

      Have we ever had freedom of speech? The Human Rights bill gave us freedom of expression but we have the strictest libel law in the world, which rather negates freedom of speech already.

      • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 1:14 pm - Reply

        Not really. As a reporter, I’ve had to learn the law of defamation and it really relates to groundless allegations made about a person that are likely to bring that person into disrepute.

        Freedom of speech is not about the freedom to defame anyone.

      • Paul Smyth January 30, 2014 at 1:47 pm - Reply

        Technically the Bill Of Rights 1689 gives PARLIAMENT freedom of speech. We actually have never had such a right as citizens or subjects. Don’t overlook that last word either, we are SUBJECTS which implies SUBSERVIENCE.

        • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 2:05 pm - Reply

          We have a negative right to freedom of speech, according to the Common Law. I read it on Wikipedia so it must be true.

    • Josh Thompson January 30, 2014 at 7:05 pm - Reply

      Revolution: Now.

    • tammy January 30, 2014 at 10:20 pm - Reply

      Why is this not being announced in the media? Is this really true because it hasnt been officially confirmed and this is only popping up on blogs. If this were true surely it would have been in the media by now? The media ALWAYS reveals stuff like this.

    • Mick Collingwood (@Mickc1303) February 19, 2014 at 11:40 pm - Reply

      Article is inaccurate @ukjcp is still up and running and is still a parody account

      • Mike Sivier February 20, 2014 at 12:53 am - Reply

        You’ve come to the article a little late and missed out on a few developments. When the article was written, @UKJCP had been suspended. After public outcry, Twitter reinstated @UKJCP and it is running again. Some have tried to say that Twitter would have done this anyway, but it seems that it was the response from the general public that tipped the scales, due to articles like this one.

    • Jay Driscoll February 20, 2014 at 8:59 pm - Reply

      Welcome to the orweillian tyrannical police state…..we are heading for a totalitarean nightmare where we will be slaves to an elite few…when are we gonna revolt and resist this crap? when is enough ppl? what good does voting do huh? the system doesnt work…we need an all out revolution for a kids sake….think of ur kids..what kind of a world are we letting these cretins build for us…thnk of a grandads and grandmas abd the reason they fought in 2 world wars…..this is nothing more than tyranny…..its time to rise up ppl b4 its to late…ur choice.

  2. Anthony Turtle January 29, 2014 at 2:44 pm - Reply

    Has the time come to rename the National Conservative Party the “Nationalsozialistische Englander Arbeiterpartei”? :(Please forgive any incorrect German grammar, I learned English grammar at my school!)

  3. paula lees January 29, 2014 at 3:14 pm - Reply

    I’M SORRY BUT IF THE POXY TW*TS THAT ARE IN GOVERNMENT AT THE MOMENT (DESPITE NOT WINNING AN ELECTION) THINK THAT THEIR GAGGING ORDER IS GOING TO SHUT MY BIG FAT OPINIONATED GOB THEN THEY’VE GOT ANOTHER F***ING THINK COMING. WHAT’S THE WORST THEY CAN DO ? PRISON = FREE BOARD & LODGINGS, FREE MEALS, DOCTOR/NURSE ON CALL WHEN I NEED ONE, FREE CLOTHES AND TOILETRIES ON ARRIVAL, STAFF TO RUN AROUND AFTER MY DISABLED @SS ALL DAY AND NIGHT. AM REALLY NOT SEEING A DETERRENT HERE !!! THEREFORE I WILL CONTINUE TO BE AS LOUD AND OPINIONATED AS HAS BEEN MY RIGHT FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

    • Mike Sivier January 29, 2014 at 4:59 pm - Reply

      Full marks for vehemence, although I’m taking some away because of all the SHOUTING. Having said that, you get more points again for correct use of the term “another think coming” (I hate that some people think it’s “another thing coming”. What’s THAT supposed to mean?)

    • Joseph Smith January 29, 2014 at 5:25 pm - Reply

      Here here Paula, Cameron is welcome to wipe my @ss he can kiss it as well I’m still not voting for the pink faced adolescent, how on earth we allowed that, that pygmy-brained idiot to live beyond puberty is beyond me. Maybe we should wander down to Eton and sort out the next generation of wannabe MPs! Pass me the GPMG please

      • Mike Sivier January 29, 2014 at 5:33 pm - Reply

        Steady on, there! Let’s not suggest murdering children is the answer to the Tory disease. I prefer gentle persuasion or, if necessary, deportation to the British Antarctic territories.

  4. Joseph Smith January 29, 2014 at 3:22 pm - Reply

    I’ve said this before, I would rather stick my hand in a sack full of angry rattlesnakes than trust this smiling pink faced boy and his cabinet. We’ve been failed by government and the House of Lords. It’s now time for a major clear out, even the bloody royals said nothing obviously concerned about the government funding repairs to various palaces at the tax payers expense. I’m fed up and very angry we give money to the Philipines and invite Syrian refugees in whilst we condem over 4000 of our own people to take their own lives because this stinking bunch of corrupt swines in the coalition deprive them of a few measly pounds. (God knows the philipines and the Syrians need every bit of help they can get.) At the same time the majority of these Fascist animals will be happy to take an £8000 a year pay increase. Which is more than the lousy pitiful state pension and more than most benefits. Anyone got a GPMG and a few belts? These B……ds need to be hurt and badly!

    • Mike Sivier January 29, 2014 at 5:01 pm - Reply

      The Royals aren’t allowed to say anything in public; it would cause a constitutional crisis.

      • Joseph Smith January 29, 2014 at 5:08 pm - Reply

        OK Mike I accept that. So why keep them? If they cannot speak to the pink boy.

        • Mike Sivier January 29, 2014 at 5:30 pm - Reply

          You got me. I reckon the nation could make as much money from tourists if we used all their residences as museums.

      • Barry Davies January 29, 2014 at 7:28 pm - Reply

        It’s cheaper to have the queen than it would be to have a president, inclusive of massive pay off and pension at the end of the term, so economically it is better for us.

        • Mike Sivier January 29, 2014 at 7:30 pm - Reply

          That’s an interesting observation!

          Does anybody have a counter to it?

      • Eijnar February 1, 2014 at 2:48 am - Reply

        The Monarch has certain powers and the Coronation Oath contains a promise to use them when necessary.The Monarch is supposed to be the last line of defence of the people from abusive government.Queen Elizabeth II has been a total disaster for her people and has repeatedly failed to carry out her Coronation Oath to protect the people from elected tyranny.Despite repeated demands for a Referendum on our EU membership the political elite continue to refuse to allow the British people the opportunity to leave a “club” they never actually agreed to join in the first place.

        I am almost 53 years old and have therefore been able to vote for nearly 35 years yet at no time has my government asked me for my opinion on Britain’s membership of the European Union.The British people voted to join a FREE TRADE AREA called The Common Market.We were told that NO loss of Sovereignty was involved yet every claim made by those against our original membership,the claims dismissed as stupid and irresponsible ,have proven to be entirely true.

        If I am very lucky and the government does eventually allow me the opportunity to vote on this issue I will be only a few years short of retirement and will have spent my entire working life ruled by a form of government that I was never given the chance to reject. Imagine that the General Election result of 1975 still stood and the people had never been allowed another election and simply had to accept for all time the choice made by their parents or grand parents in 1975,even though it was later proved that the manifesto they were presented with was a complete lie!

        • Mike Sivier February 1, 2014 at 11:06 am - Reply

          What do other readers think of Eijnar’s comment?

  5. beastrabban January 29, 2014 at 3:29 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Beastrabban’s Weblog and commented:
    More attempts to destroy free speech by the Coalition with the passage of the gagging bill. If this continues, it really won’t be very long until Britain ends up exactly like the totalitarian and authoritarian states around the world. All of them claimed to allow free speech, but only when it was responsible, or did not outrage public sentiment, or some other excuse for rigidly clamping down on anything the government didn’t like. The best comment on this, I suggest, is The Dead Kennedys’ ‘Bedtime for Democracy’ and The Boomtown Rats’ ‘Banana Republic’.

    • Joseph Smith January 29, 2014 at 5:17 pm - Reply

      Beaststrabban, look behind you mate we are there now. These swines in the coalition who defrauded their way in to power. Have in four years turned us in to a totalitarian country run by a Fascist unelected Authority and in which there is no place for the weak the poor the elderly the disabled and the needy. If your not wealthy either by winning it or stealing it or preferably being born in to it you are a drone and when you’ve stopped contributing effort or preferably money then feck off because you’ve outlived your usefulness.

  6. beastrabban January 29, 2014 at 3:31 pm - Reply

    At one time, one of the Mail columnists during the Blair era seriously suggested formally dissolving the Conservative Party and rebranding it as The English Nationalists, Anthony. Which is close enough.

    ‘Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Cameron!

  7. punkersagain January 29, 2014 at 3:45 pm - Reply

    Here is my MP’s response to my requesting his support with this bill.

    Dear Shaun

    Thanks for your further email and for forwarding a copy of the 38 degrees campaign email regarding the myth buster document.
    You may be aware that in response to the concerns which have been raised by charities and their supporters and after discussions with the NCVO and other groups, the Government has agreed to clarify what is meant by the term ‘for electoral purposes’. It will also revert to the existing definition of controlled expenditure as expenditure “which can reasonably be regarded as intended to promote or procure electoral success”. Although the Government has confirmed that it intends to continue pursuing its reforms to electoral law to align third party spending with party campaign expenditure, the NCVO has accepted that this revised test should ensure that the majority of charities operating with charity law should not be subject to registration with the Electoral Commission and therefore that their activities will not be regulated.
    With regard to the myth buster, the link which you have provided is not to the careful analysis of an electoral law expert. In fact, the document itself indicates that 38 degrees has asked Ros Baston simply “to comment”. Whilst it is right that Ms Baston disagrees with some of the analysis of the Government’s lawyers (you will appreciate that the myth buster document was prepared on legal advice and not simply put together by Mr Lansley), it does no more than that. I am intrigued as to the basis upon which it is thought that there may be some litigation, even if Ms Baston is correct. It may be useful to explain that where there is a dispute over the interpretation of the law, the courts will, quite sensibly, look for Parliament’s intention and this has been spelt out time after time by Mr Lansley and is evidenced quite clearly by the content of the myth buster.

    Kind regards,
    Simon

    • Denise Clendinning January 30, 2014 at 1:36 pm - Reply

      Thats the same letter that i received from my mp and used a standard reply and not personal.

  8. stilloaks January 29, 2014 at 4:05 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Still Oaks.

  9. Hen January 29, 2014 at 4:17 pm - Reply

    There seems to be mass hysteria on social media about the parody accounts’ suspensions today… has anyone verified that they did not violate the Twitter Rules on Impersonation and Parody?
    http://bit.ly/1gqyWoJ

    Also worth reading http://bit.ly/1byiWt5

  10. infinitepirate January 29, 2014 at 5:15 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Infinitepirate's Blog.

  11. Thomas M January 29, 2014 at 5:57 pm - Reply

    Of course the Lib Dems will love this as it will stop the students campaigning against them. If the students try and get around this by founding an anti Lib Dem political party-under our voting system it won’t be big enough to get anywhere. All it would do is split the anti Lib Dem vote and let the Lib Dems in because of the divided vote against them, canalizing the student vote harmlessly away.

    Any big campaign that’s big enough to change things will now be illegal as you can’t run a big campaign without money, whilst little campaigns can be sneered at and ignored.

    As for water cannons, they seem likely to turn peaceful protests into riots-which would then lead to peaceful protests being banned because the chance of them turning into violent riots is too high. About the only good thing I can say about them is-if a fire breaks out, the police can now put fires out (which they’ll need to do because so many fire stations have been closed and uncontrolled fires would burn down the rich areas as well as the poor ones.)

    • Mike Sivier January 29, 2014 at 6:01 pm - Reply

      I’d just like to point out that this is not – repeat NOT – an inducement for any of you to go burning down Conservative or Liberal Democrat politicians’ houses that happen to be near recently-closed fire stations.

      • Joseph Smith January 30, 2014 at 2:23 pm - Reply

        Oh damm, another dull wasted weekend watching endless repeats of programmes we paid for years ago. Free matches anyone. I know. Let’s stone a coalition cabinet member, bet after the first two or three the rest of the sheep will follow.

  12. […] It’s farewell to your centuries-old right to free speech today, after your Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs won their bid to get the Gagging Bill passed by the House of Lords. It won’t go back to the Commons because the Lords made no amendments.  […]

  13. rainbowwarriorlizzie January 29, 2014 at 6:13 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on HUMAN RIGHTS & THE SIEGE OF BRITAIN POLITICAL JOURNAL and commented:
    We have taken this to Ban Ki Moon UN Secretary General Calling for UN Intervention RE: Transparency Of Lobbying Bill in the UK, A.K,A, the “Gagging Law” See the letter we have written on our blog sites. In Solidarity.

  14. Joseph Smith January 29, 2014 at 6:39 pm - Reply

    Mike I agree, however if we can’t speak or peacefully demonstrate our discontent and feelings then the next almost certain act is civil disobedience with the associated almost inevitable violence and damage. Better I think to restore civil liberties and let the politicians know and clearly understand just how much unhappiness anger and bitterness is rampant in this country. Alternatively, if the government want to stimulate and encourage confrontation in order to “crack down” by the introduction of repressive laws designed to increase their ambition to have a controlled totalitarian state then the plan is well advanced and I think that is exactly the plan.

  15. […] The end of free speech and free protest in the UK. […]

  16. jaypot2012 January 29, 2014 at 7:20 pm - Reply

    Reblogged on Jay’s Journal and commented:
    I will go to my grave being free – I will never believe anything that is said or done by any government and I will protest by whatever means I can about what is happening in this country!
    This government think they are clever? They don’t even know what can be done via the internet or the web. There are extremely clever people out there that will let us know what is going on and won’t ever let me become one of the sheeple!

  17. socialaction2014 January 29, 2014 at 7:26 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Social Action.

  18. Julian Field January 29, 2014 at 8:01 pm - Reply

    Me? I’m a black sheep.

  19. Wolfie Sab January 29, 2014 at 8:03 pm - Reply

    Civil disobedience. They can’t arrest everyone. This police state needs to be taken down. Isn’t it amazing how this s**t happens every time the tories get hold of the keys to the country.

  20. Debs Williams January 29, 2014 at 8:14 pm - Reply

    Outstanding article, Mike – thank you. x

  21. untynewear January 29, 2014 at 8:21 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on UNEMPLOYED IN TYNE & WEAR.

  22. Karin Six January 29, 2014 at 9:11 pm - Reply

    When there is no free speech, its called ‘Revolution Time’!

  23. spiritwolf04 January 29, 2014 at 9:29 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on spiritwolf04.

  24. Joseph Smith January 29, 2014 at 9:59 pm - Reply

    Well done Mike. Excellent and important topic needs airing and discussion. In my opinion, nationwide there is huge anger resentment and frustration, it will bubble over if things arnt changed and soon.

  25. […] It's farewell to your centuries-old right to free speech today, after your Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs won their bid to get the Gagging Bill passed by the House of Lords. It won't go back…  […]

  26. Tarquin January 29, 2014 at 11:34 pm - Reply

    The person you wrote this has no idea and is just a left wing socialist communist c**t.

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 12:12 am - Reply

      Every now and then a comment comes along, and all I can do is laugh at it.

      I mean, how does one respond – seriously – to a message like this, sent (one presumes) as an earnest expression of that person’s opinion?

      There’s no substance to support the assertion that I have “no idea” and plenty to support my own assertion that I know exactly what I’m on about and have the evidence to prove it. It’s just possible that ‘Tarquin’ here is referring to himself (?) in which case no further evidence is necessary.

      On the assumption that he means me, the next part moves (presumably) from the ‘analysis’ stage of the comment and into the ‘opinion’ stage. Let us also presume that the author of this mini-classic wanted to build up to a crescendo that demonstrates their superiority over – and disdain for – me. What a shame their vocabulary isn’t up to it. Left wing? Sure. Socialist? Sure- well, democratic socialist according to my Labour Party membership card. Communist? I have friends who suggest that about me, but I honestly wouldn’t say I go that far. I don’t want everything nationalised, for a start, although I do think businesses would be better-run if they were employee-owned co-operatives. The derogatory term for female genitalia at the end indicates not only the lack of language skills I mentioned earlier but also that they didn’t know where they were going with this and had to tail off with an unsatisfying, if extreme, expletive.

      But then, I may be mistaken. What do other readers think of Tarquin’s critique?

      • Barry Davies January 30, 2014 at 8:17 am - Reply

        I would imagine he is a toryboy with little understanding of the real world as occupied by the vast majority. Personally I considered your piece well considered and even handed. As you are aware I don’t always agree with your points but I think you are in the majority on this one.

      • meg rybicki January 30, 2014 at 9:01 am - Reply

        already have water canon and rubber bullets in N.I. If I was Cammy and in charge I would insist on re education camps and exile to the Southern territories, the Falklands (forget the Argies, Saint Margaret rousted them, and so by george shall I!)
        labour camps, I mean internships and job bridge would take the protester types off the streets, and forced clean ups of frack sites would hopefully give the buggers cancer, and put the rest of them orf raising their filthy dreadlocked heads above the parapets:))

        • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 9:39 am - Reply

          If the current administration continues, then you’ll probably get all of those things – and be forced to take part in them!

      • Joseph Smith January 30, 2014 at 11:36 am - Reply

        There’s a rhyme I’ve read, it began:- I’m Tarquin the Tory Tosser, I live to toss and toss to live, the rest is much to graphic to print but it explicitly expresses anti Tory feeling. I’m sure Tarquin will know it! It’s a shame some people find themselves incapable of having a reasoned debate on topics and issues which cause much concern for so many. Of course that symptomatic of many Tories!

      • Francis Mcclean February 1, 2014 at 2:14 am - Reply

        tarquin=risible.

  27. vicki nikoloska January 29, 2014 at 11:37 pm - Reply

    I’m not a sheep but a badger, they can’t kill us all and we have friends.

    • MrChekaMan January 30, 2014 at 2:15 am - Reply

      But we can’t call the friends without getting in trouble or having to fill in a load of paperwork.

  28. aussieeh January 30, 2014 at 12:50 am - Reply

    Tarquin should stick to reading the Sun Mike, It’s about the level of his linguistic skills.

  29. SaschaSIX January 30, 2014 at 1:43 am - Reply

    do we have it in writing that Liebore will revoke all these policies should they win in 2015? And will we (assuming such document exists) be able to sue their a****s if they go back on it? To my knowledge Reeves stated quite categorically they would not backtrack on the benefits reform, for starters. (No, not a Tory, just disillusioned to f***.)

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 9:16 am - Reply

      We do have assurances that they’ll repeal the Health and Social Care Act and get rid of the Bedroom Tax, and they’ll also get rid of Atos doing the work capability assessments for ESA – but that doesn’t go far enough for my liking as it is the assessment itself that is harmful, not just the assessors. Labour has been coming out with policies lately and they are mostly good. I think you may be mistaken about the substance of what Rachel Reeves has said; she has been widely misinterpreted lately. What’s your source?

      • Barry Davies January 30, 2014 at 3:38 pm - Reply

        Libour brought in atos and serco in the first place.

  30. Axels_roses January 30, 2014 at 3:31 am - Reply

    Hmmm, by biggest concern with a lot of this, is an ever growing, and ever present desire and call for people to take to the streets and protest. I feel that many who would take action in this way would do so in a responsible, adult manner, a peaceful protest,strike action. But is no one concerned that there are also a hell of a lot of uneducated, misinformed and apparently very violent minded, borderline psychopathic people out there.. I think any sort of peaceful revolution of conscience is foreign to these people, and it starts to sound more like an all out riot, bloodbath and anarchy. In this life time, a revolution should come from a change in mind set (which is already happening at a rapid pace, and it’s beautiful to see), a paradigm shift.
    How can you effect a paradigm shift as an individual?
    Since we, the consumers actually have ultimate power, within each pound in our pocket, can we not effect this paradigm shift by spending a little more wisely, and influencing the masses to do the same? by demanding more of the true economic and political powers, the corporate business man!
    Innovation, and evolution takes time, with small incremental changes leading to new and better products, technology etc. Could it be argued that social/societal innovation will gradually move in the same way?

    “if businesses and corporations are forced to adopt increased humanistic, altruistic and socially beneficial policies and methods of running, financing and operating their business etc through increased consumer pressure, in order to get a single foot through the door, and a single penny in their pocket, then that is the peoples most powerful tool in effecting change, incremental change, a paradigm shift to steer a capitalist society in a better more wholesome, positive and socially beneficial direction.”

    In short, business students should be going to Social enterprise school, not business (profit over people) school. The concept of that way of business is already showing it’s lack of benefit to the long-term prosperity of society.

    I fear this growing desire to smash the system and effect rapid change in a matter of days, is dangerous territory when taking into account the many sporadic aspects of the human mind and the often barbaric views of hopefully a few, but more likely the majority. Do people not fear the influence of the mindless thug, intent on destruction, or rather the people with sound reasoning and good informations inability to influence them on the proper ways to effect social change. “once the shark smells blood, even if the meat is bad, good luck distracting him with reason.”
    Be careful, we are all human beings, and we should be looking out for each other.
    Those are my shillings any good chaps x

    • Axels_roses January 30, 2014 at 3:35 am - Reply

      Rather – those are my two shillings anyway, good chaps x

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 9:26 am - Reply

      I like the direction in which you are thinking, although I am also concerned that your fears for the immediate future may be borne out.

      Let’s not forget that we got to the current situation via more than 30 years of neoliberal politics, from both the Conservative Party and neoliberal New Labour. The simple fact about this political philosophy is that it doesn’t work. They tried it in Chile and their economy collapsed. Come to think of it, so did ours. Now the champions of neoliberalism are still running the country, still trying to make it work, and still trying to brutalise the people least able to defend themselves in order to get their own way.

      Something has to change and, if people want to effect that change with violence, it is understandable – if not something with which I could ever sympathise. Let’s hope your evolutionary change in thinking manifests itself first.

      • Axels_roses January 30, 2014 at 1:26 pm - Reply

        I agree implicitly, I feel more immediate action in the wake of a quickening pace at the top to impose ever more restrictive measures on the general populations ability to communicate and mobilise, not only in the UK but world wide, could well be, or rather IS, very necessary.
        I just feel with the communications available (which we must protect), the brilliance of the internet…
        (which we didn’t have 30 years ago, at least not so widespread, with lighting speed connections and portals such as this one and social networking sites such as facebook.)
        … allow messages and good information to spread quickly, if we could cut that 30 years into 15, I think we’d have done really well.
        The clear spreading of these types of messages, a rapidly growing pace of an acute awareness of the lies, deception and controlling measures being imposed on us, by even the most sheepish of citizens, is evidence enough that mobilisation in the general population is speeding up, along-side the technology that allows it to..

        By all means protest, but we must be careful where we direct that anger, violence and frustration, it would be pointless if you or I started fighting each other, if we burn’t down each others furniture store, smashed up each others car etc.. when the people imposing these measures are only slightly inconvenienced by having to end a holiday early to make a t.v. appearance.. not to mention the fact it plays right into their hands by allowing them to condemn our actions and drum up massive support that way, as they always do..
        Protest peacefully, and if you can’t, direct your anger at the right people and places, but along side that give the less educated ones clear, practical actions they can follow to effect change from a variety of angles.. give them an alternative, slowly build those alternatives and shift that paradigm as well.
        For example, one example…

        If we as people, don’t agree with fracking, we can protest, demonstrate and do all of that, but what do you think would effect quadrilla resources resolve to continue drilling quicker?
        that people are very angry about it and protesting?
        or..
        that once they have spent all that money getting the gas, free from protest..
        ..that the people are going to refuse to pay for it?
        opting instead for wind power energy resources or more sustainable energy resources, because that is what the consumer pressure demands, and they will accept nothing less! making their point heard with their pound £.

        and they can come to forums like this to check, with sound information, if where they are getting that energy, meets their strict criteria.

        … the only problem we have, is getting everyone, or at least 95% of people, to think the same way, slow burning, incremental change, in conscience, mind set, societal structure and the like..

        BUT, it can happen and I argue that it WILL happen, eventually, hopefully x

    • Joseph Smith January 30, 2014 at 11:51 am - Reply

      I agree Mike, personally I think we are much closer to civil disobedience than we think, there is massive anger and frustration at street level, I think the Police know it and sense it, I also think they are waiting for the pot to boil over. I also strongly suspect the clowns in the coalition suspect something is about to burst, I also very strongly believe they would love disobedience to happen (and may even provoke same) in order to exert much more control over us than exists now. It’s their way of marketing ” we did this because” ( this country will not tolerate etc etc) look at the harsh penalties handed out in the last riots. I simply don’t know where we will go with this, it seems our single choice is the election. And already the pre election good news has begun, it’s all lies of course, but if that’s what people are conned into believing they will.

  31. sibrydionmawr January 30, 2014 at 6:09 am - Reply

    Hmmm, great as far as it goes, and I’m glad I read all the comments before committing to this reply.

    I agree with all written here, but as is often the case, it ignores that extremely large elephant in the room: where are the Labour Party in all this? Where was the organised resistance to the Gagging Act on their part? It is obvious, (from your response to Tarquin’s reasoned comment) why you have remained uncritical, but it is, in my opinion, absolutely vital to remember the Labour Party’s complicity in all the policies being imposed on us to our general detriment – indeed it’s also vital to remember that most of the policies being imposed by the ConDems are in actuality those inherited from the last Labour administration who had thirteen years in which to make radical changes that would have made this kind of legislation nigh on impossible without a struggle – but of course the decided to, and that cuddling up to the corporate interests of big business was far more important than looking after the interests of a civilised, caring society.

    There is absolutely no evidence that Labour would be any less unsavoury in government than the present scum, indeed on the very points often discussed on this forum, (and it is a vital forum) Labour would, if anything be even more draconian than the ConDems, and are probably heaving a sigh of relief that they can then blame the Tories for introducing water cannon, and then being prepared to sanction their use once the inevitable protests occur when the Labour scum government continue with their harsher austerity measures.

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 9:37 am - Reply

      Labour did not support the Gagging Act. Labour spoke up against it in the Commons; Labour voted against it in the Commons.

      See: http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2013/09/03/gagging-and-blacklisting-bill-overcomes-first-parliamentary-hurdle/

      The Coalition put it on hold last November because defeat was on the cards: http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2013/11/06/gagging-bill-put-on-hold-as-government-fears-defeat/

      I think Labour did their bit. The problem is simply that in a whipped Parliament, the group that has the majority will always have its way unless there is a rebellion amongst its own ranks. There was no rebellion among the Conservatives or Liberal Democrats so the legislation – poor though it is – was passed.

      Let me make it perfectly clear: The Labour Party is NOT complicit in all the policies being imposed on us by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. If you think that, you’ve got it wrong. Either you misunderstand the way Parliament operates or you have been reading the wrong newspapers. Why do you think the Tories always complain about Labour failing to support any of the changes they laughably describe as “reforms”?

      I can think of only one occasion in which Labour failed to stand up for the people, and that’s the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Act – Iain Duncan Smith’s retroactive law to cancel out his obligation to back-pay jobseekers who had been put on his Workfare schemes illegally. Even that has been challenged by the courts.

      I do share your criticism of the last (neoliberal) Labour administration, however. A future Labour government will need to show that it has turned its back on this disastrous policy that has lost the Party so many millions of votes.

  32. Jules January 30, 2014 at 8:22 am - Reply

    I would call Tarquinius a see you next Tuesday, but he has neither the warmth or the depth…

  33. Richard Barbour January 30, 2014 at 10:21 am - Reply

    As for the option of voting these scum out at the next election, that is pointless. You will only be replacing one lot of Alinsky style Marksists with another. Yes that’s right we have a communist government. All 3 parties are into the same ideology in case you hadn’t noticed. It fascinates me that we are catching up with our cousins in that we live in a Police state. We have done for quite some time, only more subtley. This will help them no doubt with the EU referendum, you know that one which they have no intention of actually bringing to fruition because they don’t run this country. The corporations and banks do, so when they start stealing money out of our bank accounts to prop up to big to jail banksters, this law will be there to protect them.
    However the law of this land is Common Law and always has been despite what they dream up in their ivory towers.
    One answer is a Parliament of Independent MPs with an Independent Prime Minister working for the country/constituents and not the corporate fascists.
    I haven’t bothered to vote for years as there is no one worth voting for and in reality even if nobody voted the same scum would still be there.
    Where were so called UKIP while all this was going on? This Democracy in action of course, as long as you see things their way!!!
    I stand by what I’ve just said!

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 12:34 pm - Reply

      I don’t think they’re Communists. Totalitarians, almost certainly, and they would have that in common with Communists.

      I wonder whether a Parliament of independents would work. Wouldn’t they just be adherents of one political philosophy or another, hiding behind a façade of non-alignment?

      A commenter on Facebook has brought up the possibility of a campaign to have a ‘None of the above’ box included on ballot papers, which might be an easier way to wrest control of democracy away from the oligarchs. Thing is, the petition to get this included would need millions of signatures.

  34. Foundations January 30, 2014 at 10:50 am - Reply

    Your blog post is very interesting and i like the way it is written. I have been hearing how bad things are in UK. Its a bit depressing since i was hoping to move to UK myself. I think things are bad here in NZ yet it sounds really bad there (though its already been starting to happen here too). Its not surprising really/though from people that poison (fluoridated) our water. It is a problem that most people are happy with their lives/crumbs and don’t want to take action, but you can’t blame some of us not wanting to end up in prison (which is not such a great freebie holiday as some commenters make out). (For eg i don’t want to loose all my studies and be single for ever (i am single at 40 because of this miserable “western” globalist/free-trade socio-economic regime.) It is a difficult thing though when it comes to conflict with the police (even if they are serving the interests of the system)…. We need to be as perfect as possible and better than the other side. Maybe religion/christianity/God is the only answer but even christians don’t seem to have any love etc these days.

  35. A. M. Engl January 30, 2014 at 11:03 am - Reply

    This is as bad as it gets but will probably lead to more. Very, very BAD!!

    Who else finds this very much going down the trail of the Britain in screenplay for the movie “V for Vendetta”? And it is happening all over the world.

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 12:35 pm - Reply

      I may have mentioned the ‘V for Vendetta’ comparison in a previous article.

  36. activistposter January 30, 2014 at 11:56 am - Reply

    Reblogged this on ActivistPoster.

  37. […] Via Vox Political: […]

  38. michael neall January 30, 2014 at 3:34 pm - Reply

    Black sheep are the ones to watch so tread very carefully when crossing our paths.

  39. pycraftsworld January 30, 2014 at 3:34 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Pycraftsworld’s Weblog.

  40. juice newron January 30, 2014 at 4:18 pm - Reply

    Does assasination count I think we are over due r.i.p Cameron

  41. 1234 January 30, 2014 at 5:29 pm - Reply

    On Monday, they’ll be slipping through an amendment making it easier to seize “journalistic materials”

    “The NS says that the changes will take the mandatory procedural safeguards which allow the media to have advance notification of police bids to seize journalistic material and to have objections heard before a judge.”

    http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/hidden-away-deregulation-bill-plan-make-it-easier-police-seize-journalistic-material

  42. Shaun Baltes January 30, 2014 at 5:53 pm - Reply

    wow, another reason to say yes this year………. bye bye UK hello independant scotland, bring it

    • arctichaggis January 30, 2014 at 10:09 pm - Reply

      Im with u brother. Let me lay the 1st stone on Hadrians wall.

  43. […] The end of free speech and free protest in the UK […]

  44. boteotu January 30, 2014 at 7:23 pm - Reply
  45. tiagoosilveira January 30, 2014 at 7:24 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on The savior storytelling and commented:
    It’s happening around Europe!

  46. Dicey January 30, 2014 at 7:31 pm - Reply

    I’ve never read such utter tripe in my entire life.

    • Mike Sivier January 30, 2014 at 9:20 pm - Reply

      In that case, you should have brought some evidence to prove why you think it’s “utter tripe”. Don’t have any? Then it isn’t tripe.

    • Francis Mcclean February 1, 2014 at 2:29 am - Reply

      i suppose we can’t really blame the tarquins & dicey’s of this world; like everyone else, they were indoctrinated from an early age. some have had the scales drop from their eyes & can see clearly that they’ve been lied to all their lives. others….well, the term “cognitive dissonance” springs to mind.

  47. Andrew Rawlins January 30, 2014 at 7:43 pm - Reply

    Funny how this seems to come into play, a matter of weeks before a planned protest by anonymous and their following, about the government forced ip bans on the Internet and certain websites, I for one will still be attending the anonymous protest, and will also plan to protest against this monstrosity of a new bill they have signed, if anyone has any information at any time to do with anything being planned, just point me in the right direction!

  48. nadine January 30, 2014 at 9:26 pm - Reply

    Overthrow the government, that is what I say.

  49. arctichaggis January 30, 2014 at 10:05 pm - Reply

    And yous wonder why we want to break away from these nutters!

  50. steve wales January 30, 2014 at 10:44 pm - Reply

    ANONYMOUS INFO WALES OR ANONYMOUS UK will help to group all groups together as one and bring your placards for what you are annoyed about if its freedom of speech or fracking , bedoorm taxes fuel duty disabilty cuts school cut hospital cuts or anything in general voice it with us we shall be creating history join the world wide demo for march 1st the massive walk we are in cardiff 11pm and all over the world … we have a duty to our children for freedom of speech record it on your phones show them in the future you fought for their rights in a peaceful demo in 2014 join our info pages

  51. buffon January 30, 2014 at 11:27 pm - Reply

    Just to join up a few more dots, let’s not forget that GCHQ is busy listening to everybody’s phone conversations, reading texts and intercepting internet usage. Looks like they’ve got the whole thing stitched up like a kipper

  52. EnglishMen January 31, 2014 at 1:42 am - Reply

    honestly, we need something similar to when the nazi party rose to power and stormed their government with arms, we need to take action and take our country back by force its the only way things will change, we need some way to connect everyone who wants to take action together in a real life scenario. THIS HAS TO END NOW!

    • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 11:10 am - Reply

      This is why the Association of Chief Police Officers wants water cannons.

  53. Eijnar January 31, 2014 at 1:49 am - Reply

    Our wonderful Ruling Elite,and I despise ALL major political parties and Bankers, constantly claim that our Foreign Aid Budget is intended to help the vulnerable so must be protected at all costs yet they claim that closing down REMPLOY,cutting benefit to our own Sick and Disabled as well as intending to abolish Housing Benefit for the Under 25’s thus making them HOMELESS is a GOOD THING!

    From this April the Unemployed will be FORCED to work unpaid for upto 30 hours a week. Those who choose not to do so will be left without money or any form of Housing Benefit and thus left to face starvation and homelessness. Only when the weakest in our society turn savage will our rulers grasp the notion that they have gone too far,and by then it will be far too late to stop what their own greed has unleashed.The one constant from century to century is that the greed of the Rich has no limit and they think the Poor can always be squeezed a bit more to feed it.

    • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 11:11 am - Reply

      “When the weakest… turn savage” is, again, when ACPO will want to use water cannons.

  54. stewilko January 31, 2014 at 2:57 am - Reply

    Reblogged this on stewilko's Blog.

  55. lairdglencairn January 31, 2014 at 8:29 am - Reply

    Reblogged this on CASTLE OF GLENCAIRN and commented:
    anyone out there give a toss?

    • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 11:13 am - Reply

      76,500 have cared enough to read the article (so far). I’d suggest some of them do.

      Other readers: Am I right?

      • amnesiaclinic February 2, 2014 at 2:10 pm - Reply

        We care hugely but we know that violence and demonstrations which they can then direct are exactly what they want. Water cannons, and police violence resulting in outrageous fines and prison sentences making serco and g4s richer and fatter. All the meanwhile the bankers get all the money they want and stash it into offshore havens while the corporations don’t pay any tax or very, very little and the nhs is disemboweled in front of our eyes. There are other ways which have been outlined which take longer but which do reverse the anger and the violence which has ricoched down the generations and has now reached epic proportions in the banker- wall st-military-industrial-complex. It’s them versus little us and guess what there are far more of us. Don’t buy their stuff, don’t support the military and be part of the new consciousness which has nothing to do with religion. The rich want it all and if a few disabled die why should they care?
        So you are right, Mike, it is about caring and looking out for your neighbour and helping all those who need it in every way we can. Max Igan suggests community gardens growing our own food, helping with accommodation and using every opportunity to help others and share.
        love
        x

  56. REAF Admin January 31, 2014 at 9:03 am - Reply

    Demo’s against fracking are increasing in numbers. Even the corrupt BBC are reporting negative aspects now. And the work of small groups on env permits has paid off. 60% of the country is up for grabs in DECC licence areas. A lot of people will be affected if it gets a grip. Get out there. Get active.

    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/22/police-home-secretary-approve-use-water-cannon-austerity-protest

    http://www.scriptonitedaily.com/2014/01/29/the-government-just-passed-a-gagging-law-to-outlaw-critics-ahead-of-2015-elections/

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25903681
    Thousands of rules affecting business are to be scrapped or amended, David Cameron has told a Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) conference. They include 640 pages of cattle movement guidance, 286 pages of hedgerow regulations and *380 pages of waste management rules*

    You knw this is about Fracking ….
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIwcvzuJunI

  57. Jules January 31, 2014 at 11:06 am - Reply

    Acts and statutes don’t govern us without our consent, and we as living breathing human being, we are only answerable to the one universal law of God, ( in the UK we call it common law, part of the British constitution) I’m sure a lot of souls here are aware of their “strawman”. The legal fiction that is created when we are issued a birth certificate – the corporation governed by acts and statutes. Needless to say, the government can only govern that, our legal fiction, unless we have casued someone a tort, or a wrog doing under common law. Write an affidavit of truth to the fake queen:

    Affidavit of [Your Name Here]

    In Pursuit of Justice and Right, And in Full Exercise Of My Undoubted & Lawful Duty to My Sovereign Lady, Elizabeth the Queen –

    I, [Your Name Here], now resident at [Your Address Here].

    MAKE OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS –

    IT BEING APPARENT TO ME and to a multitude of others that divers evil persons have falsely and unlawfully induced Our Sovereign Lady to believe that they alone are the true representatives of the people placed in Her Majesty’s Care by Almighty God –

    AND IT BEING APPARENT TO ME and to a multitude of others that these same evil persons have unlawfully and falsely induced Our Sovereign Lady to give an unlawful effect to legislation that has violated and continues to violate the Common Law: Which legislation further serves to undermine; deny and destroy the Absolute Supremacy of Her Majesty’s Imperial Crown, all to the prejudice of Her Majesty’s People, and in absolute contravention of the right of the people to live in accordance with their own laws and customs (as evidenced by the terms of the Oath that was undertaken by Our Sovereign Lady before Almighty God at the time of her Coronation) –

    AND IT BEING FURTHER APPARENT TO ME and to a multitude of others that the entirely lawful authority of Our Sovereign Lady the Queen to Uphold & Defend Her People is now so reduced &/or destroyed by the many processes of Treason that have been and are now being employed against Her Majesty’s Authority from within the ranks of those evil persons who have been and are now entrusted with authority to manage the affairs of Her Majesty’s Parliament & Government of the United Kingdom –

    That my Security and Safety under the Rule of those Laws that are my inalienable birthright are now threatened to
    my personal detriment and danger and to the detriment and danger of my family; my people and my country in
    their entirety –

    AND IT BEING FINALLY APPARENT TO ME that I can achieve no redress to those many grievances that I now have and which result entirely from the Unlawful Conduct of those Evil Persons who now surround the Person and Throne of my Lawful Sovereign, except by means of the lawful process that I now intend –

    I NOW PLACE ON THE RECORD of All Persons who now claim to assert a lawful authority over me in the name of Elizabeth the Queen that unless there is correction to the many processes of misgovernment & abuse that have been and are now being imposed on me; with such process of correction being commenced; undertaken; evidenced and given a first and lasting effect within a period of 40 days from this present date –

    SUCH PROCESS OF CORRECTION being fully evidenced by Her Majesty’s dismissal of the Assembly of Traitors that is now falsely describing itself as the Representation of the People within the House of Commons AND WITH SUCH DISMISSAL providing the entirety of the People themselves with full opportunity to speak and to act on their own behalf in the election of representatives that are truly loyal to the purposes of Her Majesty’s Throne & People –

    THEN I WILL WITHDRAW And withhold all allegiance & obedience to the Person and Crown of Our Sovereign Lady, Elizabeth the Queen, and those who falsely claim to speak &/or to act in Her Name, and by such action, I will remove myself entirely from the authority of those Evil Persons who now seek to abuse & misuse me in the name of Elizabeth, the Queen and in absolute violation of the Common Law of the People to which I belong –

    AND I GIVE NOTICE that I will return to my full allegiance to the Person; Estate & Imperial Crown of Elizabeth the Queen only when Her Majesty the Queen is released from the bondage that now prevents her from the free exercise of her lawful authority and duty to Uphold the Common Law that is my birthright and to ensure for all time to come that the government of my country is conducted in full accordance with the laws and customs of my people.

    May God in His Mercy, Defend the Right & May God Save the Queen from those who now hold her in an Unlawful Captivity.

    __________________________[Your Name Here].

    Before me, An Officer of the Court, or Solicitor
    ________________________________________
    Print Name____________________Date_________
    (Signed & Sealed)

    Sworn at:_________________________________
    ________________________________________
    ________________________________________
    ________________________________________
    FOLLOWED BY THIS ONE 40 DAYS LATER

    Second Affidavit of [Your Name Here]

    WHEREAS It Is Now Made Plain To Me that Elizabeth the Queen has been entirely deposed from her Freedoms; Crown; Authority & Dignity, by the devious machinations of traitors and by all of those evil persons who have formerly or do now support the enterprises of treason, contrary to the Laws of God and contrary to the known laws and customs of the kingdom and people of England –
    AND WHEREAS the said Elizabeth the Queen is now entirely deposed from her lawful power and authority to Govern the Nations & Peoples of the United Kingdom, with Northern Ireland –
    AND WHEREAS the said Elizabeth the Queen has been and is now unlawfully restrained from providing a full and adequate response to the content and requirements of an affidavit that I have served upon her in a lawful manner –
    NOW I, [Your Name Here], now resident at [Your Address Here].

    MAKE OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS –
    FOR THE REASONS GIVEN within the content of the preamble to this present document, I Must and Do Now Remove Myself from All and Any Allegiance to Elizabeth the Queen, to the purpose of removing myself at law from the authority of all of those Hateful & Evil Persons who have taken it upon themselves to hold Elizabeth the Queen a prisoner in her own land – and or who have taken it upon themselves to misgovern the United Kingdom in the Queen’s Name, by the process of laying an unlawful claim to the True Authority of Elizabeth the Queen; such claim to the Royal Authority being entirely contrary to the known and most ancient laws and customs of the realm and being most clearly an expression of Treason.
    I DECLARE that as from and including this present date, and for all such time as may now be required to restore Elizabeth the Queen to Her Freedom and to The Lawful Dignity & Authority of her Crown, I DENY AND WITHHOLD ALL ALLEGIANCE AND OBEDIENCE TO ELIZABETH THE QUEEN, to the precise purpose of providing some defence to Her Majesty’s Person; Royal Estate and Freedoms, by the process of denying all and any lawful recognition to those Evil Persons who now hold Her Majesty captive to their own Treasons; Evil Designs and Unlawful Purposes, contrary to law –
    AND TO THE FURTHER PURPOSE that my own Security and Safety under the Rule of those Laws that are my inalienable birthright may be safeguarded against the threats to Freedom & Liberty now being posed by Divers Evil Persons, contrary to law.
    I NOW DECLARE to All Persons claiming a legal authority to exercise the power of government, in the name of Elizabeth the Queen that their authority to govern me in any way whatsoever is both denied and ended.
    I FURTHER DECLARE to all such persons that my personal freedom comes directly to me from God Himself, and that the walls and doors of all and any prisons now under the control of Traitors to the Crown & People of the United Kingdom will crack wide and will open at the behest of God Himself, if they should seek to impose penalty upon me for my departure from their mischiefs.
    FINALLY, I give Full Notice & Assurance that I will return to my allegiance and obedience to the Person; Estate & Imperial Crown of Elizabeth the Queen when Her Majesty is entirely released from the bondage that now prevents her from the free exercise of her lawful authority and duty to Govern Her Peoples in accordance with their own laws & customs; which authority requires Her to Defend Her Peoples; Her Kingdoms; Her Realms and Her Territories in full accordance with the terms of the Oath that was Sworn before Almighty God & The People on 2nd June, 1953.
    THE COMMON LAW OF ENGLAND is my birthright and at any future time of returning to a condition of Full Allegiance and Obedience to the authority of Elizabeth the Queen, I will require and expect to receive The Queen’s Own Freely-Given Assurance that the government of my country will from that same time be conducted in full accordance with the laws and customs of my people; which laws and customs require and demand that the activities of all and any parliaments and governments of the United Kingdom be constrained to act within those provisions of the law that provide for the existence of such parliaments and governments.
    May God in His Mercy, Defend the Right & May God Save the Queen from those who now hold her in an Unlawful Captivity.

    __________________________[Your Name Here].

    Before me, An Officer of the Court, or Solicitor
    ________________________________________
    Print Name____________________Date_________
    (Signed & Sealed)

    Sworn at:_________________________________
    ________________________________________
    ________________________________________
    ________________________________________

    • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 11:19 am - Reply

      This is more of that dangerous ‘freemen of the land’ nonsense, isn’t it?

      In balance, readers, take a look at my article on this subject: http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2013/12/05/why-arguments-for-consent-of-the-governed-are-dangerous-in-todays-united-kingdom/

      Anyone acting on the words of people like Jules here would be very ill-advised indeed.

      • Jules January 31, 2014 at 1:18 pm - Reply

        Yeah, why not just bend over and take it up the ar**. Keep drinking the fluoridated water and consuming pharmaceutical drugs. We have a British constitution – does that not mean a thing? http://www.thebcgroup.org.uk/

        • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 1:22 pm - Reply

          … and now you have insulted me and everyone else you were trying to persuade into your bizarre political cult. Yes we do have a British constitution, but people peddling all that ‘no government without consent’ rubbish simply don’t understand it.

          If you want to comment here again, modify your language and attitude.

      • garryjbmacinnes January 31, 2014 at 2:17 pm - Reply

        This freeman of the land stuff is complete rubbish and the sooner that people come to terms with this the better.

        I have also written an article on this matter, http://www.garrymacinnes.com

        Believe me, this stuff does not wash in court and any videos you have seen do not in any way show that it is indeed correct.

  58. garryjbmacinnes January 31, 2014 at 2:14 pm - Reply

    Entirely persuasive piece; but also omits important information in some parts in my opinion.

    I have read some of the comments on this and scanned the others, I won’t be as disrespectful as to claim that all the information is false: because it’s not indeed it’s very accurate in the context your refer it to.

    However, it omits some pretty substantial information especially regarding trade-union membership or your right to protest.
    A lot of what people have tried to state as law and discuss freedom of speech etc. is either outdated or incorrect. What is missing from this piece is any mention of Article 11 of the ECHR. Remembering that all domestic law must still comply with this:
    • Article 11 protects two distinct types of activity, to meet with others as a group in public places and to become affiliated with organisations – specified as trade unions but not only those.
    • Article 11 allows for the right of peaceful assembly. This does not stipulate that such an assembly needs to be popular or unilaterally supported by everyone. Even causing offence to those who oppose it are not grounds for the banning of such. If those reasons were valid for the banning of such marches then it would oppose any type of free society. For example, can you imagine the outcry if Gay pride supporters were banned from holding events on the basis that it offended those who were anti-gay?
    • Margin of Appreciation:
    Article 11 is a qualified right: as such the right to protest and the freedom of association may be limited so long as the limitation:
    • is prescribed by law; (any new legislation could be argued)
    • is necessary and proportionate; and
    • pursues a legitimate aim, namely:
    o the interests of national security or public safety;
    o the prevention of disorder or crime;
    o the protection of health or morals; or
    o the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

    None of this applies in my opinion and as you will see from some of the case-law I will briefly discuss; the court doesn’t seem to think it does either.

    Freedom of Assembly

    The public order Act 1986, S.17 and the more recent Racial and Religious hatred Act 2006, does not allow for the speaking in a public place that is likely to incite or engender racial hatred. Any gestures used that are threatening, abusive or insulting toward a racial or religious group are an offence in a public place or public meeting this extends to any actions that are likely to stir up hatred in others. Any videos, written material, films or sound-tapes are also covered by the act to prevent any other propaganda being used for the same purpose.
    The justification of such laws regards not only article 11 but also the inevitable crossover into article 10 and are used to serve the purposes of public interest, prevent disorder and protect the rights of others. There is a very fine balancing act between article 10 and article 11as the two are clearly related.
    However, much controversy is caused over this issue as seen in the following case.
    Arthur Redfearn v UK:
    Arthur Redfearn was a bus driver for Serco Ltd, trading as West Yorkshire Transport Service, for Bradford City Council. He was disabled and drove a bus for disabled people. He had been rated as a first class employee by his Asian supervisor. But then he was elected as councillor for Bradford, representing the right-wing British National Party. The union had words with Serco, who said that on “health and safety” grounds he would be made redundant. The alleged idea was that in an area with large ethnic populations, his profile would make him a target for violent attacks, and that could make for an unsafe bus service.
    Mr Redfearn applied to the European Court of Human Rights, alleging the decision violated his right to freedom of association, private life, and that he had been unequally treated.
    The European Court of Human Rights held that Mr Redfearn’s right to freedom of association has been infringed and violated
    “In a healthy democratic and pluralistic society, the right to freedom of association … must apply not only to people or associations whose views are favourably received or regarded as inoffensive, but also to those whose views offend, shock or disturb,”
    , noted that: “Prior to his political affiliation becoming public knowledge, no complaints had been made against him by service users or by his colleagues.
    “Nevertheless, once he was elected as a local councillor for the BNP and complaints were received from unions and employees, he was summarily dismissed without any apparent consideration being given to the possibility of transferring him to a non-customer-facing role.”
    It added: “It was incumbent on the [UK] to take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect employees, including those with less than one year’s service, from dismissal on grounds of political opinion or affiliation.”

    • Positive obligation: Article 11 contains a positive obligation on states to protect the rights of article 11
    • In Scotland freedom of assembly exists to the extent that people can assemble together in circumstances that are not subject to regulations or restrictions, and can be dispersed by police if likely to cause a breach of the peace (Aldred v Miller)
    • Ezlin v France: Assembly as a whole may have ceased to be peaceful but did not remove the individual right of those who did not overstep the boundaries.
    All marches etc. are treated the same and are regulated by the Civic Government (Scotland ) Act 1982 as amended by the Police, public order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006. The Public Order Act 1986 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 also.

    Freedom of Association:
    Everyone has the right to freedom of association with others. This includes the right to form and to join trade unions and to join with others to pursue or advance common causes and interests. It also includes the right to formally join or create associations.

    Necessarily included in the right of association is the freedom not to associate with others. There is no right for any individual to join a particular association if other members of the group decide not to include them or to expel them on the basis that their membership was not compatible with the aims and interests of the association. However, in relation to trade unions, if a decision not to include a person has adverse employment consequences, any such decision must not be unreasonable or arbitrary.

    Freedom of association also protects the right to refuse to join an association. This does not include professional regulatory bodies set up by the State to regulate professions, as these are not considered to fall within the definition of an ‘association’.(Chassagnou v France (1999).

    James & Webster v united kingdom:
    Applicants complained that their rights had been infringed when they were dismissed from their jobs for refusing to join a trade union. Their employer had agreed to employ only Union members and under employment law at the time their dismissal was deemed to be fair. However, the court decided that although their dismissals were in accordance with the law and had the legitimate purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of others it was not necessary in a democratic society because the detriment to the individuals was not justified by the overall benefit to society.
    Council of Civil Service Unions v United Kingdom (1988):
    Ban on union membership at Government communications headquarters was justified in the interests of national security and although there had been interference with the rights under Art 11 the applicants fell into the category of members of the administration of the state and therefore the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights is specifically allowed.
    ** This is deemed the only way trade union members can legitimately be treated in this respect.

    Chassagnou v France (1999):
    An owner of land was opposed to hunting on ethical grounds but was required under French national law to join an approved hunters association and allow the members to hunt on his land. It was decided that this was a breach of Article 11 since to force a person to join an association contrary to his own beliefs and to surrender his land to a use of which he disapproved went beyond what was necessary to protect the democratic participation in hunting.

    • Mike Sivier January 31, 2014 at 2:26 pm - Reply

      I’m not entirely convinced that everything you mention is relevant. Regarding the thrust of your argument, it seems likely that we will have to wait for the new law to be tested in the courts.

      Could it be a dead letter? We’ll have to find out – and that could be very expensive for the people having to do so, remember!

      • garryjbmacinnes January 31, 2014 at 2:43 pm - Reply

        No, it wasn’t supposed to be 100% relevant to your piece to be honest, although it does address the matters that i am not convinced with within your piece it also paints more of a general overview, i accept that.

        I’m not going to say that it will be a dead letter, however i do not think it’s implementation will have as harsh an impact as perhaps you were suggesting in the piece. That is my opinion anyway, there is nothing to say that will be correct at this time, but if i were a gambling man i would be likely to go on this side.

        Again,this is not a criticism per say of your piece; simply that i feel from my perspective that it may be slightly…overzealous, if that can be said without meaning too much disrespect??

  59. garryjbmacinnes January 31, 2014 at 2:45 pm - Reply

    I would also add that this is the first time i have come across this blog and i havnt had a chance to read much of it so therefore if i am completely misinterpreting the tone then apologies.

  60. kat January 31, 2014 at 6:31 pm - Reply

    rather than spending their time plotting to save money the right way without breaking other peoples pockets or homes too much or even sorting out & preventing terrorists or protecting the people of the country which they are apparently “in charge” of,They’d rather spend their time avoiding societies opinions & needs. They only ever prevent themselves from harm or money loss. While most of britian are in some cases penniless. It sickens me that this is the only thing they worry about, aka themselves..

  61. […] Read more here from Vox Political […]

  62. Eijnar February 1, 2014 at 3:43 am - Reply

    Next year is 2015 and the 800th Anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta .This single document was the foundation of the belief that it was unacceptable for the English people to be subject to the arbitrary whims of a Monarch. This document gave certain GUARANTEED HUMAN RIGHTS and was the first in history to actually limit the powers of the Monarch over the people.

    No doubt the 800th Anniversary will be met with a new set of stamps and a few documentaries will try to convince us that we are so lucky to be living in a country where such rights are guaranteed.But has anyone actually taken a look at the contents of Magna Carta recently? I have news for you,the rights enshrined in Magna Carta have been almost totally removed and we now enjoy the same level of tyranny as our ancestors did prior to 1215!

    Magna Carta gave the English people the right to Trial By Jury,freedom from imprisonment without trial and conviction,freedom from repeated prosecution for the same offence( the Double Jeopardy Rule) and freedom from having their property seized without payment.

    Well the Double Jeopardy Rule was abandoned in the cause of securing a conviction in the Steven Lawrence case.

    Trial by Jury is constantly being attacked on the grounds that the jurors are too thick to understand that they are supposed to convict people just because the police say they are guilty.The use of Magistrates Courts already provides the state with the power to jail people without trial by jury and is going to be given the power to do so for longer periods.

    We have literally dozens of people who have been imprisoned for years on end without charge, let alone conviction,because they MIGHT pose a threat to the State.The State calls THEM Terrorists yet what is more terrible than a form of government that can keep you in prison for ever without once giving you the chance to prove your innocence!

    And the Civil Contingencies Act gives the government the right to Seize,Use or destroy a persons property without compensation.It was the THREAT of this that has prevented any further Fuel Duty protest in which the protesters blockaded various fuel depots around Britain with their trucks.

    The British people are in the same position as Scrooge when Jacob Marley informs him that he wears an invisible coil of heavy chain,that he wrought them with his own hands and of his own free will he put them on. Our own indifference to how our nation is run has allowed tyranny to not only return but flourish,freedom ISN’T actually FREE! Ours was purchased in installment over many centuries and at tremendous cost by our ancestors.It was they who paid for our freedom,they who challenged tyranny and suffered the death,torture,persecution and imprisonment that paid for our rights.And we have squandered these gifts in less than 20 years and still haven’t noticed even though we are about to celebrate gaining freedoms that we no longer actually posses!

    • amnesiaclinic February 2, 2014 at 2:20 pm - Reply

      Right on! Now this is something we need to do more research on and take further!! Planning groups up and down the country anyone??

      Excellent!!

      x

  63. Janis Eisenstark February 1, 2014 at 4:04 pm - Reply

    We never have a problem, so there is no use solving anything

    • Mike Sivier February 1, 2014 at 4:21 pm - Reply

      I don’t understand what you’re saying. Please clarify.

  64. Edward D Brown February 3, 2014 at 2:24 am - Reply

    Did Abraham Lincoln not say and I quote: “Sacrifice freedom for security and you lose both!”

  65. Wayne Hall February 7, 2014 at 5:31 pm - Reply

    I’ve read much of the above & this is where I’m at………it doesn’t matter who’s ‘in power’ or should I say ‘in office’ down Westminster way, they’re all just as bent, greedy & conditioned as each other. Careful control of the media which has been very evident for generations keeps the majority of this once proud nation completely in the dark as to how “our country’s” run…..wholesale corruption from the top down keeps the ‘jobs for the boys club’ well oiled & as long as these parasites that claim to have our best interests at heart continue to maintain & strengthen their controls we’re truly doomed.

    For the working classes I see little other than dark times for the foreseeable future, our rights & our spirit are continually being eroded for the sake of control by a pitiful bunch of so called politicians. This ‘slow death’ by way of trickled oppression in addition to the failed capitalist system ever so gently removes not just our rights but our will to fight.

    Shame on all of the ‘sheep’ whom I live alongside…….mere consumers, nothing more.

  66. prayerwarriorpsychicnot March 6, 2014 at 12:15 am - Reply

    Reblogged this on Gangstalked and slandered.

  67. […] not saying someone in the Labour Party read Vox Political‘s massively popular article on the passing of the Transparency of Lobbying And Lots of Other Nonsense Act in Parliament, but the […]

  68. leigh chorlton May 24, 2014 at 12:45 pm - Reply

    Tory policies make me want to vote yes for Scotland to separate from the UK… In the hope that Scotland will not travel down the same path

  69. angrynoobgamer May 25, 2014 at 7:14 pm - Reply

    LOL…KUDOS +1 he is not going to get in the next election, there is a reason why nobody has done this before and that was to avoid the public from hating your guts. I can’t actually think of anyone else that hates an PM more than him. Maybe Thatcher…. *HIGHFIVE*

  70. […] the charity-targeting “gagging bill”, which it finally passed in January 2014. The gagging bill restricts free speech and protest by preventing protest groups or charities from challenging the government policy in the lead up to […]

  71. […] the charity-targeting “gagging bill”, which it finally passed in January 2014. The gagging bill restricts free speech and protest by preventing protest groups or charities from challenging the government policy in the lead up to […]

  72. […] the charity-targeting “gagging bill”, which it finally passed in January 2014. The gagging bill restricts free speech and protest by preventing protest groups or charities from challenging the government policy in the lead up to […]

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