h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

">Don't be surprised to see the Tories ride a wave of public outrage and withdraw Britain from the ECHR in favour of a British version<

I'll be surprised. In Britain things work slowly - for a reason. We aren't a knee jerk nation on the whole. That's for more extremist places."


It was in the Tory manifesto.
This government is doing a lot and fast.

>>we hardly ever hear about rulings that affect us brought by decent upstanding lawabiding citizens ????

Because it doesn't make good print?


>>so why, when some old granny gets mugged do we not get rulings condemning the acts of violence that have inpinged these individuals human rights???

We would if she were for example mugged by someone in public office at the behest of the state.

I know I was going to butt out, but over here we have complaints brought to various human rights tribunals (Provincial, Federal, the Courts) by ordinary, law-abiding citizens. Most often these involve workplace discrimination/harassment or discriminatory practices (usually involving the disabled) of governments or government agencies. I read about these in the ordinary everyday news sources.

Surely such things happen and are reported in Britain as well.

Do-gooders stopping boys going chimneys, it's the nanny-state gone mad. Testicular cancer never did anyone any harm in my day.

its all a paper exercise and a waste of money being foisted on us by europe

the govt. could re draft the laws/sentancing guidlines making everyone subject to imprisonment disallowed from voting

the situation would be the same as it is now, but ECHR would view that as legal

the govt. and parliment would have to jump through hoops held by europe, waste taxpayers money and the end result would be the same

what a waste

>>>"Don't be surprised to see the Tories ride a wave of public outrage and withdraw Britain from the ECHR in favour of a British version<<< swl

>>I'll be surprised. In Britain things work slowly - for a reason. We aren't a knee jerk nation on the whole. That's for more extremist places."<< Me


>It was in the Tory manifesto.
This government is doing a lot and fast.< Jack

I'm willing to bet, at the very least, my Licence Fee, that it won't happen in the way of swl's little tabloid fantasy. The *actuality* of withdrawing from the ECHR in favour of a little Britain version would be seismic in terms of *what it says about us as a nation.*

Mind you to look on the bright side..if we start doing such big things quickly..we might dump Scotland equally quickly. Plenty of the tabloids would be happy to see that happen..there's meant to be a wave of English public anger about that. Look out for that in someone's manifesto next time...

As Jack has pointed out, don't lay any bets on what this government will and will not do: in 9 months they've had a bloody good go at eviscerating public services, ending the meritocratic university system and privatising education. Getting rid of the ECHR would be a trifling matter for them. Sure the Lib Dems would oppose it, but since when has their opinion mattered?

I'm usually in favour on the ECHR, but I believe in this case the court has acted illegitimately and beyond its remit. There is nothing inherently uncivilised about preventing the incarcerated from voting - yes voting is a human right but so is freedom of movement and freedom of association and we suspend those while some is in jail as well. Someone who is in jail has (usually) broken the social contract and should expect to have some rights removed. So long as they are re-enfranchised once released, it's acceptable to me.

swl, Effers isn't the only liberal or Europhilic voice: please don't tar us all with the same brush.

I always love it when you turn up HI with your rapier like intelligence, insight, analytical hard on thing, etc etc and of course your sensational wit. You ought to be on the telly.

You put me to shame

Oh and by the way...the light isn't dying..but carry on raging.

I've been told I have the perfect face for radio...

""I'm usually in favour on the ECHR, but I believe in this case the court has acted illegitimately and beyond its remit. There is nothing inherently uncivilised about preventing the incarcerated from voting - yes voting is a human right but so is freedom of movement and freedom of association and we suspend those while some is in jail as well. Someone who is in jail has (usually) broken the social contract and should expect to have some rights removed. So long as they are re-enfranchised once released, it's acceptable to me.""

that is exactly the sort of thing i have been trying to get across with my

<>

Surely describing imprisonment as being for "public safety" is a very narrow view and not supported by logic or the facts? I'd wager the vast majority of prisoners present no risk to public safety - thieves, swindlers, fine dodgers etc etc. The fact is, prison represents different things to different people: for some the existence of prisons and the chances of being sent there are a powerful deterrent. For others, who lose their jobs and families, being sent to prison is a massive punishment. Some people reform as a result of prison, most don't.

Arguing that denying the vote to convicted criminals is detrimental to those who have themselves been the victims of miscarriages of justice is frankly bizarre. Why not do away with prisons entirely in that case?

<>

No they don't. They put them in prison so they can't spread dissent, to silence them. Dictators don't usually worry too much about the ballot box.

After reading through this and asking the obvious question....Why?
I think the answer lies in a superflous "i" in the title

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=156109313&ocid=today

put plainly

"Britains doomed it dont, doomed if it do"

News analysis rather than news story concerning Egypt:

http://dissidentvoice.org/2011/02/the-egyptian-revolt-is-coming-home/


To paraphrase: meet the new boss; the same as the old boss.

what did we think was going to happen???

free and fair elections with all the islamist parties and candidates coming out of the woodwork???

don't think the egyptian army wants another war with israel

I didn't expect anything different to happen.

I just find it sad that all these people are celebrating their freedom, and the U.S. is praising the 'new' leaders and there seems to be some sort of idea floating around that there has been some sort of actual change.

>>
I think the answer lies in a superflous "i" in the title
http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=156109313&ocid=today
<<

It took me a while to figger that one. Must be my wild colonial
boy perspective. I see the Royals as an important diversion for
the masses and I bear them no more animosity than I have for the
common man so long as they are useful and don't try to pull the
over my eyes.


~jwf~

@JWF

"Figuire"

I remain optimistic about change in Egypt. At present someone has to run the country, there are millions of very poor people and they can't be dealing with total anarchy and chaos, the priority now is to get trading and the place running again and very important let tourists think its safe to go there - the economy relies on that a lot.

The Army know the mass reaction of the people. Let's wait and see how it pans out.

Eight valuable objects, including a statue of King Tutankhamun, have been stolen from the Egyptian museum in Cairo.

http://www.agi.it/english-version/world/elenco-notizie/201102131201-cro-ren1029-egypt_tutankhamun_statue_and_7_other_objects_stolen