These is a lack of subtlety evident in the use of “public inquiries” to whitewash governmental wrongdoing. The appointment of Sir Peter Gibson, the former Commissioner for the Intelligence Services, to head the judge-led inquiry into UK complicity in torture was a brazen act of corruption. Sir Peter has a choice; either he exonerates ministers and the security services, or he finds himself guilty of corruption or gross incompetence. He has already, in his capacity as Commissioner, certified as correct the conduct of the intelligence services in the period he is now “investigating.” If he had any honour or genuine intentions, he would have turned the inquiry appointment down. There is no conclusion possible but that Gibson accepted the appointment with neither honour nor good intentions.
It is equally astonishing that Judge Leverson accepted the leadership of the inquiry into News International when he had at least twice been a guest in Elisabeth Murdoch’s home. I simply cannot understand why in these circumstances he does not feel he must refuse the appointment. The concept of honour appears to have disappeared entirely from public life.
This was very predictable. Thirteen days ago I blogged “Murdoch’s main priority on this visit will doubtless be to work with Cameron to get the right safe judge appointed”. Power people like the Murdochs do not entertain people merely because they like them; everyone around that dinner table is there because they hold power or influence. If you wonder why precisely the Murdochs were cultivating judges, of course you now have the answer. Ordinary people have to wake up to just how real is the shroud of corruption cast over British society.
Justice: Different for right and left
Submitted by Rob Ray on Jul 25 2011 23:09
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A notable thing about the start of this week, other than the Norway shooting, has been the sheer obviousness of double standards in the British justice system which just gone on show.
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Time for some leniency
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Various people have commented in the last few days about the way in which the media looks on muslim terror as belonging to all muslims while christian terror belongs only to the individual.
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But the “justice” system too is guilty of such unpleasant double standards, apparently looking on anti-fascism and protest against the state as rather more worthy of jail time than far-right violence. This has rarely been more stark than when we look at recent court cases.
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Stephen Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson, was sentenced today for leading a brawl involving over 100 football fans. Note the language of the article:
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Quote:
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Stephen Lennon, 28, shouted “EDL till I die” and encouraged fellow Luton Town supporters when they clashed in the town with Newport County fans on August 24 last year.
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He was charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and accused of leading Luton’s hooligans into a fight.
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District Judge Carolyn Mellanby told Lennon: “I am entirely satisfied you were at the front of this group of angry Luton supporters looking for trouble when you were confronted by the group of Newport supporters who were also angry and fired up looking for trouble.”
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Pretty nasty stuff. For this, he got a 12 month rehabilitation order, community work and a ban on going to the footie.
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http://libcom.org/blog/justice-different-right-left-25072011
Has anyone else received this mealy mouthed reply from the Press Complaints Commission?
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Wednesday, 27 July, 2011 13:18:07 Press Complaints Commission – The Sun – 23/07/11 – Norway’s 9/11
From: Simon Yip {}Add to Contacts
To: Simon Yip {}
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4 Files Download All
image001.gif (3KB); image002.gif (2KB); THE SUN 23.07.11 3RD EDITION.pdf (275KB); THE SUN 23.07.11 2ND EDITION.pdf (247KB)
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Thank you for your complaint about the Sun front page of 23 July in relation to the Norway attacks. We have received a number of complaints about this front page, and the reference to an ‘Al-Qaeda massacre’.
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The reference appears to have been made in the first edition of the newspaper: subsequent editions of the paper appear to have corrected the claim. I have attached copies of later front pages for your records.
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In the circumstances, we will write to the newspaper formally for its comments about the manner in which the information became available, and its response to the situation. We will do so using a lead complainant, our standard procedure when we receive multiple complaints about one issue.
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We will seek to keep you informed of the progress of our investigation, and the outcome of the matter.
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Best wishes
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Simon Yip
Administrator
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Press Complaints Commission
Halton House
20/23 Holborn
London EC1N 2JD
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Tel: 020 7831 0022
Website: http://www.pcc.org.uk
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Do you think it is evasive? I didn’t even receive a salutation btw
Good Channel 4 graphic on Cameron, Osborne, Cable and Hunt meetings with NI and the significance of the dates.
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http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/granny/15896
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/28/phone-hacking-inquiry-leveson?intcmp=239
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Should have all died down by then, BskyB deal going ahead ?, don`t bet against it!.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/jul/28/phone-hacking-newsinternational
‘The senior judge defended himself against criticism that he had social contact with members of the media, including the revelation by the Standard that he went to social events at the home of PR man Matthew Freud and Elisabeth Murdoch. “As I explained following an enquiry by the Evening Standard, when, by chance at a dinner in February 2010, I met Mr Matthew Freud of Freud Communications, I took the opportunity to discuss the issue of public confidence.
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“Mr Freud then offered to assist the council, on a pro bono basis, by considering ways in which this issue might be addressed. To that end, in my capacity as chairman of the Sentencing Council, and to the knowledge of the Lord Chief Justice, I attended two large evening events at Mr Freud’s London home.”
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Declaring his interests he also admitted attending the 50th birthday of acting Met commissioner Tim Godwin.’
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He’s ‘aving a larf isn’t he Guv?
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The grass is being left to grow nice and long. The ball will be lost within it. The inquiry will not start until September and the report will take over a year by which time all this will have disappeared into the murky past as Anon says. Very much like Chilcot except that this inquiry takes evidence under oath. Are liars afraid of any penalties for lying under oath?
mary, it will all but disappear, what with the financial armageddon in full swing, and upon us…Oh yes, and another X-factor for the masses to concentrate on!. People will have to get their priorities in order!. Outcome of the Murdoch case will be found on bottom of page 10 or 20!!!. A few renegade journalists acting independently will be held responsible will be the official response, nothing to do with Murdochs, mild constructive criticism as to keep an eye on the future behaviour of journalists at worst!!!.
This sums it up
http://www.youtube.com/user/golefttv#p/u/2/53oKxcJFDdM