Free speech
Interestingly, in view of weekend reports that police are currently wading through more than 4,000 complaints about abusive messages on Twitter, the Government has been consulting on whether to remove the word “insulting” from Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. Section 5 makes it an offence to use “threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour,” and its interpretation has been controversial from the start. Section 5 has been used to arrest, for example, religious campaigners against homosexuality, a British National Party member who displayed anti-Islamic posters in his window and a student who called a police horse “gay”. There’s a fascinating clip on U Tube of comedian Rowan Atkinson talking about the right to insult. His point is that Section 5 has spawned a powerful “outrage industry”, where even the mildest adverse comment can be construed as insulting and thinking outside the norm is punished. He says we can only build immunity to insults by letting them be aired. He quotes President Obama’s recent point that repression of speech can become a tool to silence criticism or to repress minorities and the strongest way to protect free speech is encourage more and more of it. “The freedom to be inoffensive is no freedom at all,” says Atkinson. I agree with him and would heartily recommend you watch the clip.
Posted on 29 October 2012 by Richard Drax
Time wasting
Too little, too late, is my view. I am talking about the Government’s proposal to have an “audit of EU competences.” “Competences” are EU-gobbledegook for powers foolishly transferred to the EU by its member nations. Certainly, it’s high time we stopped transferring any powers to the EU and, more importantly, began repatriated them – all of them. I fear this audit is nothing more than a political smokescreen. First, it won’t be finished until 2014, by which time fiscal union will be further advanced, second, it’s more delay and, third, why do we need an audit of the obvious? I also hear reports from those in the know that the EU regards any powers ceded to them in the past as permanent, and that repatriating any of them at all will be an uphill struggle. Well, isn’t that a surprise!
Posted on 29 October 2012 by Richard Drax
Beyond the call of duty
Last Wednesday, I was honoured and privileged to meet WPC Jacqueline Ellis in the House of Commons. She was attending an awards ceremony for bravery the following night at No 10. Accompanied by her partner, PC Frost, and Dorset Police Federation Chairman, PC Clive Chamberlain, I hosted her to tea. This plucky young woman tackled a knife-wielding woman in Boscombe, who, covered in blood, had just murdered her mother. In broad daylight, alone and with the public's safety her first priority, Jacqueline arrested the woman, risking serious injury or worse. The four of us chatted for about an hour and as we talked my admiration for this gentle, humble WPC grew and grew. We owe officers like Jacqueline a huge debt of gratitude and our support and respect. How lucky we are in this country to have police who don't carry guns as the norm. I'm not for arming every officer, as I believe guns breed guns. So, when a young, slightly-built police officer puts herself in harm's way, we should say a huge thank you and marvel at her courage and dedication to duty.
Posted on 21 October 2012 by Richard Drax
Shabby politics
Last Thursday, I found myself in the Chamber waiting to speak in the debate called by my honourable colleague John Baron MP, to fight for the retention of the 2nd BN The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Before the debate began, hundreds of former Fusiliers marched past the Commons and gathered opposite the MPs' entrance for speeches and photographs. Then, they filed into the public gallery to listen to the debate itself. Mr Baron opened the batting with a fine speech, which received rapturous applause from the gallery, something we are not used to. Evidence points to the fact that we are sacrificing this fine English regiment in order to keep poorly recruited Scottish regiments as part of a compromise deal before the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014. This is shabby politics and I said so in my speech, which you can see on my website. The fact is we don't want to see Scottish regiments go either, but if cuts have to be made they must be based on military logic, not political expediency. Our fine Armed Forces have already been savaged by the Coalition Government in a move so short-sighted it beggars belief. With the world as unstable as it's ever been in my lifetime, we are denuding our countrys ability to defend herself, her people and her dependents and, one must not forget, our responsibilities to NATO. As it happened, we won the debate 57 votes to three - the Whip having been downgraded to one line - and I shall be interested to see what the Government does next. Let's hope honour and integrity wins the next round. It's the very least our brave soldiers deserve.
Posted on 21 October 2012 by Richard Drax
New chief whip
Andrew Mitchell resigns and Sir George Young, a most affable and charming gentleman, takes over as Chief Whip. I don't want to dwell on this issue longer than I have to, but Mitchell is right to stand down and it's arguable that he should have done so sooner. With great privilege comes even greater responsibility and that's something all of us in public office must respect.
Posted on 20 October 2012 by Richard Drax