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Ant-terrorism laws have been used by local councils to spy on parents to make sure they lived at addresses they say they lived at for the purpose of primary sch

Ant-terrorism laws have been used by local councils to spy on parents to make sure they lived at addresses they say they lived at for the purpose of primary school (5-10years of age) applications. Anti-terror laws have been used way beyond their original intentions for a long time in the UK. In this case the original proponent of the legislation has come out and said excactly that. Will it change anything? Nope.

cmdkeen 13y ago
There's been a change since the late 90s away from practising barristers being MPs. It used to be that barristers would be in court in the morning, see problems with legislation, and go to Westminster in the afternoon to fix them. Now of course the media, and parties that never had many barristers in them, demand MPs work "full time" - which means there is far less legal expertise available in drafting and scrutinising legislation. That's why things like the Terrorism Act happen. The name gets politicians to vote for it, but the contents is overlooked and full of powers that are not scoped to terrorism investigations.
matthewmacleod 13y ago
I dispute that RIPA is actually an "anti-terror" law in any way aside from popular description.
- iamwithnail 13y ago
  I concur. RIPA was not about terror, especially when it was passed. It's a generally applicable law that's been mis-used in the name of 'security' and 'safety', in the same way that stop and search from PACE is.
jackgavigan 13y ago
Legislation introduced during 2012 limited the circumstances under which councils could use RIPA powers [1] and required judicial approval for the exercise of those powers [2]. [1]: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1500/article/2/made http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1500/article/2/made [2]: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/9/part/2/chapter/2/enacted http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/9/part/2/chapter/2/...
kashkhan 13y ago
it won't change anything if you do nothing. It will get worse unless someone materially objects.

cmdkeen 13y ago

There's been a change since the late 90s away from practising barristers being MPs. It used to be that barristers would be in court in the morning, see problems with legislation, and go to Westminster in the afternoon to fix them. Now of course the media, and parties that never had many barristers in them, demand MPs work "full time" - which means there is far less legal expertise available in drafting and scrutinising legislation. That's why things like the Terrorism Act happen. The name gets politicians to vote for it, but the contents is overlooked and full of powers that are not scoped to terrorism investigations.

matthewmacleod 13y ago

I dispute that RIPA is actually an "anti-terror" law in any way aside from popular description.

iamwithnail 13y ago
I concur. RIPA was not about terror, especially when it was passed. It's a generally applicable law that's been mis-used in the name of 'security' and 'safety', in the same way that stop and search from PACE is.

jackgavigan 13y ago

Legislation introduced during 2012 limited the circumstances under which councils could use RIPA powers [1] and required judicial approval for the exercise of those powers [2]. [1]: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1500/article/2/made http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1500/article/2/made [2]: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/9/part/2/chapter/2/enacted http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/9/part/2/chapter/2/...

kashkhan 13y ago

it won't change anything if you do nothing. It will get worse unless someone materially objects.