Way back in 2002, Theresa May was doing a very good impersonation of someone who cares about civil liberties:
"We want to encourage ... neighbourhood policing, giving people back power and stopping this constant centralisation which this government has brought in."
And even as recently as 2010, May was still keeping up the pretence by earnestly telling everyone this:
"This government is taking (steps) to reduce the control of the state over decent, law-abiding people and hand power back to them."
Of course May – like any good Tory – is a good old-fashioned authoritarian at heart and now she’s got her hands on the reins of power, the pretence that she gives a flying f*ck about civil liberties has pretty much gone out of the proverbial window.
Here’s what Theresa’s been doing since she became Home Secretary to “reduce the control of the state” and “hand power back” to us:
May to increase state surveillance powers with Snooper’s Charter
Home Office to spend £1.8 billion on listening to our private phone calls
Secret Courts: accused may not know what crime they are accused of
Government ushers in ID cards through the back door
Cameron pledges to scrap human rights
UK schools to be forced to hand over information on pupils
Government classifies non-violent activism as terrorism
Theresa May’s plans to vet TV programmes before broadcast
Ministers to be allowed to veto Freedom of Information requests
Theresa May condones detention of journalists under anti-terrorism act
Home Office threatens 7-year-old with deportation
Theresa May bars US investigative journalist from UK
And if we’re going to be hearing an explanation from the Home Secretary for her complete about-face on civil liberties, it would also be nice if May could explain why documents relating to VIP sex crimes are being kept secret from the public until 2056:
link: National Archives
link: National Archives
But I won’t be holding my breath.
See also:
Cameron’s Comedy Cabinet of Incompetents: George Osborne
Cameron’s Comedy Cabinet of Incompetents: Iain Duncan Smith
Cameron’s Comedy Cabinet of Incompetents: Jeremy Hunt
Cameron’s Comedy Cabinet of Incompetents: Michael Gove
Cameron’s Comedy Cabinet of Incompetents: Philip Hammond
Cameron’s Comedy Cabinet of Incompetents: Michael Fallon