Minority Report

I see the government is now planning to stop people protesting on the basis of protests POSSIBLY turning disruptive. We're turning into an elective dictatorship, for God's sake.

Since when have the police been able to arrest someone on the basis of what they may do? Yes, you can be arrested on suspicion, but there has to be evidence in order to secure a conviction. There can be no evidence of a protest becoming disruptive before it actually becomes disruptive. 

Can't see this gaining any traction, unless it's not referred to Parliament (like the intention is on rescinding EU legislation); even then, there would be a myriad legal challenges based on precedent.

The other week the police arrested a journalist for merely watching and reporting on a protest, so the claim the police need new powers is facile. Kier Starmer, a former DPP, agrees.

Banning strikes, banning protests, making it more difficult to vote - it's all geared to eliminating any possibility of criticism of this government. It's the rhetoric of despotic dictatorships. It's the rhetoric of Putin. 

Those supporting this strategy need to be careful - this is from Pastor Martin NIEMÖLLER:

First they came for the Communists 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a Communist 

Then they came for the Socialists 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a Socialist 

Then they came for the trade unionists 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a trade unionist 

Then they came for the Jews 

And I did not speak out 

Because I was not a Jew 

Then they came for me 

And there was no one left 

To speak out for me

Is the government determined to make itself totally unelectable, as that appears to be the strategy? How I long for the days when we were governed by grownups and actually voted for grownups.