torsdag, oktober 21, 2010

Broken promises

When the Tories and Liberal Democrats agreed to form a coalition they reach the following agreement 11 May 2010.

The parties agree to implement a full programme of measures to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties under the Labour Government and roll back state intrusion.

This will include
  • Ending of storage of internet and email records without good reason.
Five months later The Telegraph reports that "Every email, phone call and website visit is to be recorded and stored after the Coalition Government revived controversial Big Brother snooping plans". I don't understand why they make promises after the election that are broken in just a couple of months. Didn't they know what they as Government wanted to do?

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HAX

2 kommentarer:

Kung CG sa...

Wouldn't you be more surprised if a politician in power (gouvernment, etc) actually would increase the freedom?

Regardless of what is said in the running up to an election, it's like that is forgotten the very moment said politician enters office.

Maybe someone heard our beloved swedish premier say "I would never incriminate a whole generation" (rough translation) before the FRA and IPRED votes came on the table?

Politicians in general consider promises made in an election campaign as 'intentions' and not as promises, unfortunately...

And for a politician in power 'freedom' is worth nothing in comparison to 'security'...

Or as an American president put it, a (far too) long time ago:

"Those prepared to sacrifice liberty for security deserves neither..."

Niklas Smith sa...

Though the proposals are not very liberal, they are not as bad as the Interception Modernisation Programme that the Labour government was planning: http://www.libdemvoice.org/interception-modernisation-programme-no-its-not-coming-back-21801.html

The Prime Minister was asked about this in Parliament on Wednesday and his reply was unfortunately not very reassuring (see my comment on the end of that blog post).

Niklas Smith (both Lib Dem and Folkpartist!)