Riots panel concluded that the riots were fuelled by a wide range of factors including a lack of opportunities for young people. Photograph: Ray Tang /Rex Features Verdict on UK riots: people need a ‘stake in society‘, says report Panel concludes that riots were fuelled by a lack of opportunities for young people, poor parenting [...]
President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron also discussed Iran’s alleged nuclear plan [Reuters] President Barack Obama has said the prospect of international military intervention in Syria is premature and could lead to a civil war. Speaking at a White House news conference on Wednesday, Obama said military intervention could lead to more deaths in Syria. [...]
This site has consistently said that a privatisation of the police force was a matter of certainty, particularly once gaols were becoming privatised. It is actually quite a simple process. After all police are just private citizens given extra powers. It seems the UK is well advanced on that path to privatisation. This was perhaps a matter that [...]
Mark Duggan, who was killed by Met police officers last August. Photograph: Rex Features The Metropolitan police has apologised to the family of Mark Duggan, whose shooting triggered last summer’s riots, for failing to inform them of his death. The apology was revealed after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) upheld a complaint by the family that neither the Met [...]
Roger Waters is reported as telling Chilean TV that the Falkland Islands ‘should be Argentinian‘. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA One major problem with the Falklands is just where do you send snotty nosed royals to get maximum coverage for their presumed fighting capabilities. George Ikners ikners.com The Falkland Islands should belong to Argentina, the former Pink Floydbass player Roger Waters [...]
EU Embargo on Iran Oil is Peace Measure, Says Confused British Official William Hague claims blockading Iran is aimed at avoiding conflict, instead of stoking it by John Glaser, January 24, 2012 | Print This | Share This | Antiwar Forum The European Union embargo on Iranian oil imports that was pushed for aggressively by the U.S. is aimed at [...]
Who Did Give the Green Light to Torture? When they behave disgracefully, the military are imitating a contempt for human rights found higher up the chain of command by Paul Vallely There has been something artificially over-heated about the international reaction to the video of four American soldiers urinating on the bodies of [...]
Curry houses on Brick Lane, east London. There is now a shortage of chefs for Britain’s Indian restaurants. Photograph: John Carey/PhotoLibrary It’s a cold, rainy day in Bradford and the balti restaurants and fast food outlets offering “desi” [Asian] milkshakes, have yet to fill up. But close by, the industrial kitchen of the International Food Academy is already buzzing [...]
Germany, under Angela Merkel, emerges as the pre-eminent power in Europe, imposing a decade of austerity. Photograph: Koen Van Weel/EPA As a clear damp dawn rose over Brussels on Friday morning, the tired and tetchy leaders of Europe emerged, bleary-eyed from nine hours of night-time sparring over how to rescue the single currency and indeed the entire [...]
The gung-ho leadership of the British government, fresh from their heroic ‘liberation’ of Libya (and never mind the mega-deaths and wholesale destruction), are now itching for a fight with Iran, it seems. Of course they won’t be spilling any blood or guts of their own. They’ll watch from a safe distance [...]
An EDF nuclear plant in Nogent-sur-Seine, France. The company was fined for spying on Greenpeace this month. Photograph: Francois Nascimbeni/AFP/Getty Images UK government shared intelligence with nuclear industry, documents show Greenpeace complains to high court after energy department passes details of legal battle to Nuclear Industry Association The British government has been quietly exchanging intelligence on [...]
The survey of 1,000 employers predicts the jobs situation will get worse for the rest of the year. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA UK jobs market faces ‘slow, painful contraction’ Firms scale back recruiting decisions against background of global economic uncertainty, survey of employers finds reddit this Press Association guardian.co.uk, Monday 14 November 2011 08.13 GMT Article history [...]
British Military Chief: Hundreds of Troops to Remain in Afghanistan in 2016 by Jason Ditz, November 13, 2011 | Print This | Share This | Antiwar Forum The clashes between British Prime Minister David Cameron and his military chief, General Sir David Richards, have been unusually public, but it seems that Cameron’s calls for a [...]
1) Hundreds of people attended the Occupy LSX rally in front of St Paul’s Cathedral on November 5, 2011 [Mariagrazia Petito Di Leo/Al Jazeera] In pictures: Occupy London protest swells Demonstration swells as “99 per cent” pro-democracy protesters rally against corporate greed in British capital. Mariagrazia Petito De Leo Last Modified: 08 [...]
UK detainee Babar Ahmad has been in prison for seven years without trial [GALLO/GETTY] As Libya cried “liberation!” and captured its dictator, as Tunisia held its exemplary democratic elections, and as Syria and Yemen fight on relentlessly, we are living in captivating times. After seeing millions of people creating their own freedom, I have regained my [...]
David Blunkett (pictured) guardian.co.uk, Sunday 30 October 2011 19.15 GMT Article history An immigration officer checks a passport at at Heathrow. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA For avid Guardian readers it must seem strange for me to be warning the liberal left about xenophobia: “physician heal thyself”, I can hear some say. But when I took [...]
In English ‘Til I Die filmmaker Awad Joumaa examines the rise of the English Defence League. Here he explains why the growth of the far right in Europe can no longer be ignored. For several years I have been intrigued by the rise of the far right across Europe. In England, I have watched the emergence [...]
Police accused of allowing undercover officers to lie in court Undercover officer Jim Boyling gave a false name and occupation when giving evidence under oath False evidence claim arises from papers suggesting undercover officer Jim Boyling hid identity when prosecuted over protest reddit this Rob Evans and Paul Lewis guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 19 October 2011 17.11 BST [...]
Severe but opaque: a very British verdict on Liam Fox Report into former defence secretary’s links to Adam Werritty is damning, but gently sidesteps awkward questions reddit this Liam Fox has already admitted most of the errors that the report confirms, but it fleshes out some details. Photograph: Fiona Hanson/PA Wire No misuse of public [...]
Iraq war inquiry report faces long delay as doubts on evidence persist Maxine Peake in Loyalty by Sarah Helm at Hampstead Theatre. Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Observer Did an evening at the theatre prompt Sir John Chilcot to reconsider findings of his inquiry into the run-up to war? reddit this Jamie Doward guardian.co.uk, Saturday [...]
Liam Fox resignation exposes Tory links to US radical right Liam Fox, right, and David Cameron, who is being accused of allowing a secret rightwing agenda to flourish within the party. Photograph: Tim Ireland/PA Labour and Lib Dem politicians have stepped up demands for the PM to explain ministers’ involvement with Atlantic Bridge reddit [...]
Labouring under an illusion By William Bowles Posted on October 10, 2011 by dandelionsalad by William Bowles Featured Writer Dandelion Salad williambowles.info September 30, 2011 Note: This is in the way of a continuation of my last essay ‘In the belly of the beast‘. Nothing could illustrate the paradox better than ‘the party of labour’, financially supported largely [...]
Liam Fox claims thrown into doubt by Dubai hotel records Adam Werritty (left) and Liam Fox at a meeting in Dubai in 2007. Adam Werritty said he was from defence secretary’s office when he booked into Shangri-La reddit this Robert Booth in Dubai, Jason Burke and Patrick Wintour The Guardian, Wednesday 12 October 2011 Article [...]
Britain’s One-eyed Justice 7 October 2011 The day British Foreign Secretary William Hague received former Israeli Prime Minister Tzipi Livni in his office at the Foreign Office and welcomed her cordially is a black day in the history of British justice and a terrible insult to the blood of more than 1,400 Palestinians from the [...]
The British government illegitimately agreed to give special temporary immunity to Tzipi Livni, argue writers [EPA] Changes to UK law didn’t protect Tzipi Livni A London judge ordered a former Israeli foreign minister’s arrest, but the UK is preventing this. Daniel Machover and Raji Sourani Last Modified: 10 Oct 2011 09:15 In December 2009, [...]
Official inquiries as a result of the phone hacking scandal are rocking the British media landscape [REUTERS] Can the media industry in Britain restore public trust, which is ebbing away in the wake of the scandal over phone-hacking by employees of the Murdoch-owned News International? The grand institutions of British media are taking a long [...]
UK amends law to protect Israelis from prosecution Published yesterday (updated) 15/09/2011 21:55 Former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni [MaanImages] LONDON (Reuters) — A British law limiting citizens’ rights to seek the arrest of foreign politicians for alleged war crimes took effect on Thursday, removing a thorn in British-Israeli relations. The law amends legislation [...]
UK children stuck in ’materialistic trap’ Unicef warns that children are being bought off with ‘branded goods’ because parents can’t spend much time with them. Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP Unicef blames the fact that Britons are working longer hours and as a result parents are buying off children with ‘branded goods’ The perceived need to ‘buy [...]
Former MI5 chief urges terrorist talks Lady Eliza Manningham-Buller, the former head of MI5, attacked anti-terrorist laws passed under Labour. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/Getty Images Lady Eliza Manningham-Buller says dialogue with terror groups, including al-Qaida, requires courage but ‘is necessary’ reddit this Richard Norton-Taylor The Guardian, Tuesday 13 September 2011 Article history The former head [...]
Rebels surround a building in Tripoli, Libya. Documents alleging UK links to renditions to Libya have been unearthed by rebels as they take control of the country. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) A Libyan rebel leader who was rendered to Tripoli with the assistance ofMI6 said on Monday that he had told British intelligence officers he was [...]
David Cameron will give televised court verdicts the go ahead as part of a push for transparency in public services. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Judges’ sentencing of offenders is to be televised under plans to be unveiled by the prime minister shortly, the Guardian has learned. David Cameron is expected to make his [...]
Libyan papers show UK worked with Gaddafi in rendition operation Documents found in Tripoli suggest that MI6 enjoyed a close relationship with Gaddafi’s intelligence services. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian A secret CIA document shows that British and Libyans worked together to arrange the removal of a terror suspect to Tripoli reddit this Ian Cobain, and Martin [...]
Twitter study casts doubts on ministers’ post-riots plan A study has shown that Twitter was used mainly to react to riots and looting during the recent unrest across the UK. Photograph: Jonathan Hordle / Rex Features Analysis of tweets during recent unrest appears to undermine the case for banning people from social networks Interactive: [...]
Andy Coulson ‘broke’ Commons pass rules by failing to declare NI payments · David Cameron and Andy Coulson. Coulson failed to declare NI payments. Photograph: David Fisher/Rex Features Cameron sponsored pass for ex-head of communications · NI ‘considering ending payment of Coulson’s legal fees’ reddit this Polly Curtis and James Robinson guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 August [...]
Prison service to investigate inmates painting Jacqui Smith house Spokesman cites ‘mistake’ over two day-release prisoners meant to ‘help the whole community’ at former home secretary‘s house Andrew Sparrow, senior political correspondent guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 August 2011 11.55 BST Article history Former home secretary Jacqui Smith’s Redditch house was painted by two prisoners [...]
A riot police officer stands guard in Tottenham during the first night of the unrest. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters The British public strongly supports tougher sentencing for those involved in rioting, a Guardian/ICM poll has found, with about 70% of respondents saying they thought people convicted of riot-related offences should get a tougher than normal sentence. [...]
A masked man in Hackney during the early August riots. The report by Tim Morgan, of Tullett Prebon, says our country’s consumerist ethos has ‘extremely damaging consequences. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The recent riots in London and other big cities were the product of an “out-of-control consumerist ethos” which will have profound impacts for the [...]
Photo by EPA England‘s streets are calm again. But there’s still plenty of interesting debate going on as to the causes of the riots that swept across London, Birmingham, Manchester and several other towns, and have now resulted in well over 2,000 arrests. Here are three thought provoking articles. The first is by Lara Pawson [...]
Cases such as those of 18-year-old Chelsea Ives, an Olympics ambassador whose mother (above) left court in tears after her daughter was remanded in custody, have dominated media coverage. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA Only a small proportion of people appearing in court charged with offences committed during the riots are listed as being in work [...]
Riots: fears over violence as prison population swells to record level Police officers stand in front of a prison van. Prison chiefs appear to be concerned about the volatility of the jail population after the incarceration of hundreds of rioters. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/AFP/Getty Images Email from ‘gold commander’ warns governors to take steps to ensure [...]
Youths throwing bricks at police on 7 August during unrest in Enfield, North London. Photograph: Karel Prinsloo/AP England rioters: young, poor and unemployed Guardian data project reveals link between economic hardship and those taking part in last week’s riots Matthew Taylor, Simon Rogers and Paul Lewis guardian.co.uk, Thursday 18 August 2011 21.28 BST Article history [...]
Prince Charles meets residents affected by the riots in Tottenham. Photograph: The Sun/AFP/Getty Images Trouble never comes singly, even in Tottenham. Just when residents were starting to feel safe to come out after the riots, who should pop up but Boris Johnson, dishevelled embodiment of the lords of misrule. If the mayor of London and his minder, the communities [...]
Rioters convicted of first-time offences deserve leniency, says Simon Hughes, deputy leader of the Lib Dems. Photograph: Sarah Lee Two of the most significant figures in the British legal establishment have made urgent warnings about tough sentencing for riot-related offences as the split in the coalition over the response to last week’s violence dramatically widened. Lord [...]
Rather than peeling back the complex layers of the riots like an onion skin, the UK government has instead chosen to respond as though the riots were a spontaneous exercise in criminality [EPA] The riots that have engulfed London and other major cities in England over the past week have finally receded, but in the wake of the horrific [...]
Lord Carlile, the former government anti-terror adviser and Lib Dem MP has criticised ministers for trying to influence the courts on riots sentences rather than concentrating on policy. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian The government‘s former terror adviser has intervened in the row over the sentencing of people who took part in last week’s [...]
Youths loot a Carhartt store in Hackney during the recent riots in London. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images I keep hearing comparisons between the London riots and riots in other European cities – window-smashing in Athens or car bonfires in Paris. And there are parallels, to be sure: a spark set by police violence, a [...]
Jordan Blackshaw, left, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan were each jailed for four years for inciting disorder via social networking sites. Photograph: Cheshire Police/PA Criticism is growing of the sentences imposed on some convicted rioters after two men were jailed for four years for posting messages on Facebook inciting people to create disorder in their home towns. [...]
Defence chiefs must be called to account Cameron stifles much-needed debate on UK military as generals accused of failed operations and ‘Yes Minister’ attitude WikiLeaks cables: David Cameron is greeted by troops at Patrol Base 2 between Lashkar Gah and Gereshk in Afghanistan. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images “There are moments when I wake up and [...]
Nick Clegg has sought to slow down a fast and furious run of Tory policy suggestions, including plans to evict the families of rioters from council houses. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA Liberal Democrat politicians indicated on Tuesday that they have deep concerns over David Cameron‘s uncompromising post-riots law and order agenda, with the party’s home affairs spokeswoman [...]
David Cameron told the recalled House of Commons that anyone involved in the riots should expect to go to prison. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA In a capitalist system property is everything. Any interference with the relationship between the alleged owner and his or her property takes precedence when the political servants of the elite use the rule [...]
