Advertisement
Opinion

Too much power has been grabbed by the bad guys

Only an oppressive regime would use their power to take away our freedoms on a scale such as this. Time to take back control

There have almost never been good guys, but when have the people who have suppressed peaceful protest been the less bad guys? Why enact the Public Order Act, or the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act, or the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act, or the Nationality and Borders Act, or the Elections Act, or the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act? Why seek to enact the Online Safety Bill, or the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, or the National Security Bill? Why empower the home secretary to strip people of their British citizenship without having to give any reason, and even if that rendered them stateless, and now without even having to tell them?

The only possible reason is so that those powers should be used. Where they already exist, then they are already being used. Wayne Couzens could not now be arrested. He used his valid warrant card, and his Police issue handcuffs, so nothing that he did with them could ever now be a criminal offence. That is the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act, on which Labour abstained and which it would not repeal. It would not repeal any of the measures listed above. It would use them to their full extent, and it would turn a blind eye when they were exceeded, if they could be.

Thankfully, there is going to be a hung parliament next year. To strengthen families and communities by securing economic equality and international peace through the democratic political control of the means to those ends, including national and parliamentary sovereignty, we need to hold the balance of power. Owing nothing to either main party, we must be open to the better offer. There does, however, need to be a better offer. Not a lesser evil, which in any case the Labour Party is not.

Yours faithfully,

David Lindsay

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? We want to hear from you. Get in touch and tell us more.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

Your support changes lives. Find out how you can help us help more people by signing up for a subscription

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
This theatre company uses Jellycat toys to break barriers for children across the UK
The Noisy Dinosaur production from Toucan Theatre. Image of two cast members with jellycats
James Baldwin

This theatre company uses Jellycat toys to break barriers for children across the UK

More and more poor children are missing school since Covid. Here's how to get them back in class
Martin Hodge

More and more poor children are missing school since Covid. Here's how to get them back in class

Just Stop Oil may be reviled – but their tactics reshaped the climate movement
Just Stop Oil
Sam Nadel

Just Stop Oil may be reviled – but their tactics reshaped the climate movement

People in poverty feel disconnected from democracy. But it doesn't have to be this way
Hannah Paylor

People in poverty feel disconnected from democracy. But it doesn't have to be this way

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue