David Miranda detention: Labour demands review of anti-terror powers

[malaise]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/19/david-miranda-detention-labour-glen-greenwald
<snip>
Labour has called for an urgent investigation into the use of anti-terror powers to detain David Miranda, the partner of a Guardian journalist who interviewed US National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said ministers must find out whether anti-terror laws have been "misused", after Miranda was held for nine hours by authorities at Heathrow airport under the Terrorism Act.

His detention has caused "considerable consternation" and the Home Office must explain how this can be justified as appropriate and proportionate, she said.

Cooper said public support for the schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act could be undermined if there is a perception it is not being used for the right purposes. "Any suggestion that terror powers are being misused must be investigated and clarified urgently," she said. "The public support for these powers must not be endangered by a perception of misuse.
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You see terrorism is whatever they say it is. Maybe we'll finally discover what said LABOUR PM Blair signed onto with Bushco. David Kelly???? Robin Cook?????

[Denzil_DC]

1. Maybe we'll finally discover what said LABOUR PM Blair signed onto

Yup. It's rich to hear this from Cooper. Labour under Blair (and later Brown) were absolutely terrible on civil liberties.

The two Terrorism Acts (2000 and 2006) that folks are so worked up about right now were enacted under Labour, and now Cooper wants to review them?

[malaise]

2. 100% correct

It's hysterically funny in a sick way.

[HardTimes99]

7. "Labour" was pretty much in name only, as the hard-left MPs like George Galloway left

for greener pastures, e.g., RESPECT.

The Labour Party of Blair and Cameron has about as much to do with working class concerns as the Libertarians here have to to with libery, i.e., fuck all.

[Denzil_DC]

3. You got that right, it's like a scene from "In the Thick of It" without the swearywords.

Then there's this from the same article, to add to the collective selective amnesia:

[Labour MP Keith] Vaz said he was not aware that personal property could be confiscated under the laws.

He should try reading the laws his party championed some time.

[malaise]

4. The sad truth is that all the parties within the so called liberal democracy

model are complicit in violating constitutions and therefore our rights in the name of the corporate agenda. This is Hayek and Friedman on steroids.

[Denzil_DC]

5. The sadder truth is that Miranda's detention isn't the most egregious abuse

in the UK over the years. Not by a long chalk.

[malaise]

6. I think Dr David Kelly

and Mr Robin Cook would agree if only they were alive to speak.
Blair, Bush, Cheney et al have fucked this planet royally. It is time to lock up the war criminals our our countries as we know them are over.

[Denzil_DC]

8. Cook (and John Smith before him)

I do believe was natural causes, and there's not been much traction for other theories on that. He was a great loss, the main solace being he didn't fully witness what New Labour became.

Kelly - yeah, absolutely right about that.

The trouble with locking up the war criminals is where to draw the line. I mean, I might be in favor of locking up everybody in government who was complicit at the time, but ...