Author: Mike

As I have mentioned in previous posts, this country continues to move towards a much more authoritarian society.  One aspect of this is with what you can photograph or not, which seems to suffer from a very wide interpretation of  the rules by the authorities.

Although I understand the need for vigilance in this current climate, certain members of the  security services seem to go out of their way to antagonise member of the public with their own ‘brand’ of policing.

The most recent case of this was reported yesterday in the Guardian yesterday when an Italian Art student filming for her art project after discussions with a seemingly stereo-typical power attitude PCSO was finally arrested by six real policemen and thrown in a police cell! It appears she also cycled down a one way street the wrong way!

Granted, she did not help her case by not being able to prove her ID or her photographic aims, but it appears that there seemed to a lack of common sense by the PCSO’s and Police in another example of their heavy handedness towards members of the public about photography.

Of course with the Met releasing their latest video of a successful surveillance operation when tracking of a terrorist cell carrying out a reconnaissance of potential targets, it seems that we will still be subject to local interpretation of photography in public places.

However, it was interesting that also yesterday John Yates, the Metropolitan police assistant commissioner reissued instructions to London district Police Commanders about members of the public taking photograph.

Restating that whilst there were no laws to stop people photographing buildings and also confirmed that there was no legal ban on photographing police officers, it was important that a “commonsense” approach by police officers.

Some background articles relating to this post:

• Is it a crime to take pictures?
• Innocent photographer or terrorist?
• AP’s campaign
• UK Photographers Rights Guide v2

Some further examples of a lack of common senses can be found here:

• Arrested photographer: Court case too expensive
• The picture that could land you in jail
• Amateur photographer arrested and de-arrested

I’m sure that this will not be the last example we see of police over reaction to photography in public.

I wonder when we will get the chance to say what we think of the new speaker – John Bercow. With the unearthing of his agenda for picking up women showing some pretty crude elements to his character, I wonder if he will survive the upcoming election.

Of course Nigel Farage is not everyone’s cup-of-tea, but perhaps this time the masses will be able to pick someone on merit and not have another club member foisted on us.

With regards to his wife, Sally Bercow; it now seems that she did not have the Degree that she claimed according to recent press coverage. I also saw an extensive piece in the Standard on the 3rd December. I don’t think I would want her for my MP. Too much information!

It seems when Transport for London to decide to extend the Underground Circle to Hammersmith and when you now have to change circle trains at Edgware road.

It seems that more people want to come to Paddington from Hammersmith hence the change. However, I wonder how Edgware Road station will cope, from my recent experience over the last three weeks not very well before the change.

Lets see if that changes tomorrow?

It seems that we are slowing getting a picture of just how close Tony Blair was becoming to George Bush in the period before the Iraq invasion.

Although it will take time and it may seems to be a slow process; in the end the Iraq Inquiry will show how Tony Blair really did become Bush’s poodle as many cartoonists portrayed him at the time and  really was more interested in supporting the USA than being concerned with his main charge, the UK.

The truth will out!

Like everyone in the UK I heard with disbelief that money (some £62 Billion)  had been paid in secret to RBS & HSBC before the whole banking scandal became public.

If, as it now appears, this money was used to shored up HSBC ready for the Lloyds takeover, surely this means that the price that Lloyd shareholders paid was too high.

I seem to remember a few years ago that laws were brought in to stop what was known as Insider Dealing.

Surely if a trader (or anyone else with appropriate knowledge) made moves to artificially hold high the value of a company that they knew to be wrong, then they could be charged with Insider Dealing and face stiff penalties.

Is this announcement not just another example of one rule for us and one rule for the government?

Yes the Banking system nearly collapsed and we would have all suffered, but this Government only added to the problems with it past actions of too little legislation and a watchdog – The FSA – so ineffective that even the bankers that ran it, had no idea what was going on.

We – the tax payers –  are now saddled with so much debt, we will be paying this back to… yes other bankers for many years to come.

What a mess!

I’ve been watching the Sky News this morning about the Cumbria floods and devastating they have been, especially to the families that have lost their homes and businesses and the family of the police officer who died.

But please, having to make a 60 minute (estimates vary) detour to get food and petrol is hardly a big thing when places like Bangladesh with its floods and Somalia with its famine still have much more to deal with.

Perhaps these local ‘interruptions’ will make us realise how much more safe we still are and how much more lucky we are than many other people in the world. There will be many more services available in Cumbria to help locals than might be available for people in many other countries.

Yes it will be tough for many as they rebuild their damaged surroundings. But perhaps Sky can be a little more circumspect in the way they over emphasize the distance that some people will have to travel.

Perhaps they should be focusing in on the cowboy-builders heading that way to make a fast buck at someone else’s expense or the Insurance companies that will be running through their books of excuses for reasons for not paying out.

Its time like this that mainstream news organisations need to use their power to expose, not sensationalise.

Not only are innocent (if arrested but not charged) people  to still have their DNA data kept on a database, but if ‘you’ do manage to get it removed, it can take up to 10 months!!!

So much for all that money on an efficient system!!

Belgium PM gets the Top Job! Blair is out, hoorah!!!!

The BBC as it sees it. 

But what happens now with European legislation reaching out across the whole of Europe. Can the new president stand up to the Franco-German Axis? We will have to see.

What a pathetic newspaper the SUN is. From my reading of feedback from various forums/chat rooms, it seems to me that they have scored a massive own goal.

They should stick to what they do best – if at all, that is sport and page 3.

Yes if it were me I would have written the letter to clear up the spelling etc. , but at least Gordon Brown had the courtesy to write a personal letter, better than a signed-off note!

It’s such shame that an  innocent and grieving mother has been dragged through the public hoop for a few grubby pounds payment from the SUN!