About Me

There seems to be no area of our lives, whether public or private,that is not subject to the scrutiny of the 'Equality People' Yet, no one ever defines Equality. So, how will we know it when we see it? Is it definable? And are the principles of equality, however we define them, attainable?.Is the ever extending range of government regulation over our lives 'progress'Or,are we on the road to totalitarianism. Are we hindered or helped in our quest for rights and justice through membership of the E.U., U.N.,e.t.c. or, would a strengthening of our own Parliamentary Democracy serve us better. This Blog will comment on equality and related issues with the hope of making some small contribution to the debate. Feel free to post your opinions and share your thoughts and experiences. That way we can get a better idea of how we, the little people really feel about things. And,just maybe,we might even influence the debate!

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Campaign for Democratic control





I DEFY ANYONE TO COME UP WITH THREE GOOD REASONS TO VOTE FOR ANY OF THE THREE MAIN PARTIES----I TRIED IT-I FAILED MISERABLY!




I DID THOUGH, FIND LOTS OF REASONS NOT TO VOTE FOR THEM. HERE'S JUST A FEW;



  1. No Referendum on the E.U.
  2. Abolishing Double Jeopardy
  3. Giving our money to failed and immoral financial practices.







Can you add to the list?









Tuesday 17 January 2012

Strasbourg ruling on Abu Qatada-shelter for criminals?

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the U.K. Government's application to extradite the Islamist Abu Qatada to Jordan. The Jordanian authorities want  him for conspiracy to carry out bombings of the American School and the Jerusalem hotel. He was tried in his absence.

The court ruled that evidence obtained by Jordan which put Qatada  in the frame was obtained through torture and, therefore, to extradite him would be a breach of his human rights.

Evidence obtained through torture is notoriously problematic, not least because it is wrong. It is also unreliable. If someone was pulling out your fingernails with pliers, beating you every day, threatening to rape your female relatives, you may be inclined to say whatever your torturer wants to hear  just to make the pain stop.

However, there are two points here worth considering. Firstly, Qatada himself wasn't tortured and the ruling does not  rule out extradition in the future on the ground that it is- "confident that diplomatic assurances between Britain and Jordan that Abu Qata would not be tortured would be upheld if extradited"


Secondly there is the evidence against Qatada allegedly obtained through torture. If this information was excluded would he still have a case to answer? If so, surely there is scope for us to work with the Jordanian authorities on resolving this issue. Jordan, like the U.K. is attempting to deal with terrorist attacks against its own citizens. The terrorists are trans-national operators and not confined by state boundaries or respect for sovereign rights. It is a global problem and it needs to be tackled at a trans-national level.

A statement issued by the Home Office expressed its disappointment at the ruling but, added that it would continue with its efforts to extradite. I hope it does. We owe it to ourselves and to Jordan to resolve the case in a way which, while upholding our principles to protect the innocent also prevents those same principles from being a hiding place for the guilty.