The Penny Drops

Jenni Russell writing in today’s Grauniad makes some interesting points in a good, if somewhat tardy article:

Piece by piece, month by month, Tony Blair’s administration is removing the safeguards that protect all of us from the whims of a government and the intrusions of a powerful state. It is engaged in a ferocious power-grab. Yet this story has not seized the imagination of the media or the public. In our failure to respond, the government must be reading a tacit acceptance that it can do what it chooses, because we either don’t notice or don’t care.

Indeed. So why did it take so long for you to notice? The ID Cards bill was first proposed by the appalling Big Blunkett shortly after the twin towers bombings in September 2001. Since then we’ve had creeping authoritarianism – each grab a little more than the previous one. As we grant an inch, the scheming bastards seize a parsec. And no one noticed.

The government is briskly and fundamentally reshaping the relationship of the individual to the state, of the Lords to the Commons, and of MPs to ministers.

Yes, we were saying this back in 2001. Keep up at the back, there… :dry:

The ID cards bill will allow the authorities unprecedented surveillance of our lives, and the power to curtail our ordinary activities by withdrawing that card. The legislative and regulatory reform bill, now entering its final stages, will let ministers alter laws by order, rather than having to argue their case in parliament. Then this weekend brought another shocking government proposal to increase its own power and weaken the restraints upon it. Lord Falconer made clear that the government intends to drastically curtail the powers of the Lords.

Sigh… It’s nice that you’ve noticed, but where was the media before all this came into being. Where was the moral outrage at this putsch then? The only Big Brother the media seems to have been worried about is that rather inane and exploitative game show. Bury your head in the sand and sooner or later you’ll get kicked up the arse. Those of us who have been aware and have been doing our best to raise the issue have watched, frustrated, as the mainstream media has said little and challenged even less. To be fair, the Beeb is, perhaps, the worst offender for this, although most of the broadcast media is pretty dumbed down with facile reporting being the order of the day. Serious constitutional issues, if they get a look-in are played down in their significance to the point where they might get a 30 second, banal mention with no discussion of the implications. Interviewees are not challenged on their statements – what you see is what you get. Anyway, back to Russell’s piece:

Last week the Lords gave up their battle to stop the imposition of an identity-card register. They had pointed out that they were under no obligation to pass the bill, as the Labour manifesto promised the scheme would be voluntary, but what was proposed was essentially compulsory. The government’s retaliation for their principled stand was swift, and should alarm all of us.

For those of us taking notice, this alarm occurred years ago. We’ve loing since drowned in our own cynicism.

His majority was slashed. He won only 36% of the vote. Both he and Brown stressed the need to listen more carefully to an electorate that clearly wanted a smaller government majority. Many of us took that to mean this would be a more careful, consensual government, aware that its mandate was limited. But the opposite has happened.

Finally. Now, can we please get our megaphones out and start broadcasting loudly so that the rest of the country starts to see it too? Please?

Ms Russell also notes the sheer arrogance and bullying behaviour of the executive. Again, somewhat tardily, but nice to see it being raised at last.

This behaviour is alarmingly arrogant. The prime minister’s circle believe they have a right to push through any measures without hindrance, because they have a monopoly on wisdom. Their contempt for everyone else’s motives and opinions is evident.

For me, that passage makes an excellent summation of the administration. A government should quake at the prospect of sanction from the people it serves. This administration has turned that principle on its head. It strives to control, dominate and rule us, its masters. The monster has forgotten how the relationship is supposed to work and has created an environment to ensure that reversal remains permanent. Again, Russell puts it succinctly – nails and heads spring to mind:

This demonising and misreading of others fuels the self-belief of the inner circle, who see themselves as valiantly trying to do the right thing in a hostile universe.

And this, a delightful dissection of the government’s self induced, delusional double-think:

The perverse fact is that we are being asked to place great trust in a government that makes a point of distrusting everyone outside its inner circle.

Of course, those of us who have been taking notice this past few years don’t trust them. They have demonstrated that trust is the last thing we should grant. In fairly short order, I went from a paid up member of the Labour party to highly vocal dissident. Far from trusting, I despise them for dismantling our safeguards and freedoms and I abhor them for their self-righteous arrogance and bullying. Perhaps most of all, is my disdain for their wounded innocence when challenged; their assumption that they know what is best for us and they are, after all, just good people doing the right thing in difficult and dangerous times. So, like good children, we shouldn’t question. Not to mention the condescending, arrogant fob offs when we do.

Well, I’m questioning. And until the secret police come for me, I’ll keep questioning and I’ll keep shouting from the rooftops. Perhaps, someone, somewhere, will listen.

Now playing: Neil Diamond – Oh Mary