new authoritarianism

Hundreds of experts sign letter against government’s anti-asylum seeker Bill

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Demonstrators protesting against the Illegal Migration Bill in Parliament Square, London, during the second reading of the the bill in the House of Commons this evening. Picture date: Monday March 13, 2023.

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/hundreds-experts-sign-letter-against-governments-asylum-seeker-bill

HUNDREDS of academic experts signed a joint letter today, condemning the Tory government’s anti-asylum seeker Bill as “not evidence based, workable or legal under human rights law.”

More than 300 scholars from mostly British universities warned that the Illegal Migration Bill will not stop small boats crossing the Channel but would increase “the chance of death” as people are funnelled into more dangerous journeys.

The letter – published online and in The Times newspaper – called the legislation, which cleared its first Commons hurdle on Monday, a “deterrence approach” by ministers in response to increasing numbers fleeing war and persecution.

But the experts warned that there is “no evidence that we are aware of to suggest that deterrence-based approaches are effective.”

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/hundreds-experts-sign-letter-against-governments-asylum-seeker-bill

Continue ReadingHundreds of experts sign letter against government’s anti-asylum seeker Bill

The **unofficial** Android update didn’t go well

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Thanks for making my heightened surveillance status so obvious – you couldn’t have made it more obvious really. A dodgy unannounced Android update that refuses to install smoothly, browsers on my lappy refusing to work as before – so that I can’t make purchases from shops that I use regularly. Surely I wouldn’t notice that?

If anyone is overseeing Sue-Ellen Braverman, please ask her why she is putting a political opponent under intrusive surveillance for me.

15/3/23: political opponent is probably the wrong term. The point I’m making is that these actions are for political rather than any legitimate purpose.

Continue ReadingThe **unofficial** Android update didn’t go well

BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of ‘rightwing backlash’

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https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/10/david-attenborough-bbc-wild-isles-episode-rightwing-backlash-fears

Exclusive: Decision to make episode about natural destruction available only on iPlayer angers programme-makers

The BBC has decided not to broadcast an episode of Sir David Attenborough’s flagship new series on British wildlife because of fears its themes of the destruction of nature would risk a backlash from Tory politicians and the rightwing press, the Guardian has been told.

The decision has angered the programme-makers and some insiders at the BBC, who fear the corporation has bowed to pressure from lobbying groups with “dinosaurian ways”.

The BBC strongly denied this was the case and insisted the episode in question was never intended for broadcast.

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Caroline Lucas, the Green party MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “For the BBC to censor of one of the nation’s most informed and trusted voices on the nature and climate emergencies is nothing short of an unforgivable dereliction of its duty to public service broadcasting. This government has taken a wrecking ball to our environment – putting over 1,700 pieces of environmental legislation at risk, setting an air pollution target which is a decade too late, and neglecting the scandal of our sewage-filled waterways – which cannot go unexamined and unchallenged by the public.

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Chris Packham, who presents Springwatch on the BBC, also criticised the decision. He told the Guardian: “At this time, in our fight to save the world’s biodiversity, it is irresponsible not to put that at the forefront of wildlife broadcasting.”

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https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/10/david-attenborough-bbc-wild-isles-episode-rightwing-backlash-fears

Continue ReadingBBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of ‘rightwing backlash’

The danger ahead

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There’s danger ahead. The Tories recent attacks on asylum seekers is going to fail since it’s totally ill-founded. Despite being very useless, I’m uncertain that the Tories are totally, absolutely uselss. Surely they know that this attack is doomed to failure? The danger is that the failure is expected, accounted for and part of a wider strategy towards what? With Sunak’s attacks on lefty lawyers i.e. an attack on the judicial process really the obvious guess is a power grab against the independence of the judiciary.

dizzy

9/3/23 Apologies, this should have occurred to me yesterday. Starmer is in every way as much a Tory as Winston Churchill, Boris Johnson or Tony Blair. It would be ideal for the Tories to transition to Starmer’s pretend Labour government for ten or fifteen years as a caretaker government looking after the interests of the rich and powerful. It very nearly happened after the total debacle of the short-lived Truss government but I feel that there wasn’t the demands expected for some reason ;) So, is yet another Tory debacle needed to sweep in Starmer’s new Labour (Tory) government?

There will be a further addition to this post

Continue ReadingThe danger ahead

Government’s plans to punish refugees branded ‘desperate and cruel’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/government-plans-to-punish-refugees-branded-desperate-and-cruel

Amnesty International says ‘people fleeing persecution and conflict will be irreparably harmed by these proposals’

Image of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Rish! Sunak

NEW government laws to punish refugees who arrive “illegally” in Britain after making perilous journeys across the English Channel in small boats were slammed as “desperate and cruel” today.

The Illegal Migration Bill, outlined by Home Secretary Suella Braverman in Parliament on Tuesday, will see migrants arriving on small boats “swiftly removed.”

Under the plans, people crossing the Channel will not be able to claim asylum in Britain and will face a lifetime ban on returning after they are removed.

They will also never be allowed to settle in the country or gain citizenship.

Ms Braverman admitted that she “can’t say definitively” if the new Bill complies with human rights laws.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/government-plans-to-punish-refugees-branded-desperate-and-cruel

Continue ReadingGovernment’s plans to punish refugees branded ‘desperate and cruel’