Thursday
May102007
Tony Blair: taking liberties?
Thursday, May 10, 2007 I was invited to attend an advance screening of Taking Liberties (the movie) in London tonight. Sadly I can't go but in view of Tony Blair's announcement today I thought you'd like to see the trailer. The film goes on national release on June 8th.
Reader Comments (3)
I think the film looks good but....
If it was all down to Blair and he is quitting in a couple of weeks then all these bad laws made in the last few years will be repealed right?
Or maybe you think it was all down to the Labour party. So if we get a Conservative government next time around you are sure all these things will be reversed?
Good question, Bernie................
As a freedom-loving conservative, I've yet to be convinced that David Cameron has ANY intentions of reversing the legislative changes that have led to such objectionable attacks on our traditional liberties.
At the risk of sounding like a Sixth Form Anarchist, I fear there is now a greater community of interest between the various members of the New Political Class, than between the 'Parties' and the people and philosophies whose interests they are supposed to serve. In short, I suspect that THEY despise US even more than WE do THEM.
But - whom do you blame: power-crazed mediocrities at Westminster, or a dozy Electorate, a substantial portion of whom would rather vote on 'Pop Idol' than at a General Election (I mean - so BORING, innit ?).
This was ALWAYS the problem with Mass Democracy: those in power merely need to keep the Dumb Majority happy with bread and circuses, whilst safely ignoring the concerned, articulate, and intelligent few.
The impending Smoking Ban (which makes me a criminal for DARING to have a fag with my pint in the local I've been going to for over twenty years) is a good case in point: lots of 'hoorays' from the non-smoking Majority - the question of Freedom of Choice (or just Freedom, if you will) being a pure abstraction of no concern whatever to THEM (and their clothes will smell SO much nicer - which is what REALLY matters).
Too cynical ? Well, Enoch Powell (hiss, boo) - one of the last Thinking Politicians - lamented many years ago that we 'are not the people we WERE'. Please God, both he and I are wrong.
But....................
Martin maybe when you were at school there might have been such a thing as a sixth form anarchist. Today that would be as rare as a apology from government.
I think you are spot on with the us and them view. To be sure there is competition between the parties on what to spend the loot on and who should be hit next but their underlying philosophy is the same.
I'd like to see a few more people just asking the question "Shouldn't there be some limits on what a government can do?"