Richard's Kingdom

Jacquie Smith is to step down as Secretary of State for the Home Department in the cabinet reshuffle that Gordon Brown is planning to make after the European elections on Thursday.
While the door to the Home Secretary’s office has revolved ever more rapidly since 2001 the authoritarian brief of its occupants has hardly wavered.
Somewhere in [...]

I’m disgusted by the Government’s new DNA database proposals being laid out as a “consultation” today. Jacqui Smith’s transparent attempts at spin are risible. So is any claim by this Government that it values freedom, civil liberties or the presumption of innocence.
SIX TO TWELVE YEARS. That’s the length of time Smith wants to keep the [...]

The convention on modern liberty is being held today in London, around the country and online. I’m tuned into the live webcast and the flurry of tweets tagged with either #coml or #modernliberty. One common question being asked is “what happens next?” What is to be done about liberty in the United Kingdom and who [...]

Dear Alun Michael MP,
I am writing to ask you to vote against the government’s plans to extend from 28 to 42 days the period for which suspects can be interned in the UK.
I am not afraid of terrorism and I don’t want my representatives to be afraid on my behalf. I understand that it is [...]

The British Parliament must not extend the practice of internment.
In the UK you can already be detained without charge or trial for 28 days if you are accused of terrorism, acts preparatory to terrorism, possessing material for a terrorist purpose, being a member of a terrorist organisation, funding terrorism, attending a terror training camp, inciting [...]