RE: Government Noses

["Ian Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>]

>Simon Watkin wrote:
>> David Swarbick wrote: 
>> It is a disgraceful campaign,

>Do you mean this?
http://www.targetingbenefitfraud.gov.uk/on_to_you_adverts.html

>> and it uses exactly the fear you ridicule as 
>> an implicit threat against anybody who might one day come up against
the 
>> government. 

>If you do mean the DWP campaign, where's the threat against "anybody"
as opposed 
>to the threat against those cheating the benefit system?

I thought the advert was saying HMG can spy on anyone they like,  I
didn't realise
that had to have been convicted on benefit fraud first. 

>> and when they
>> are they are not serious crime,

> Not individuals.  But where you have organised groups it amounts to
serious crime.

An easy problem to satisfy everyone with, convince a court its serious
crime, say 
50K UKP or more, and get a warrant.

>> The paranoia you ridicule is exactly encouraged and fostered
>> by the civil 
>> servant who implemented the campaign.

Davids impression of that advert matches mine.  It's not *unreasonable*
paranoia.  I have
absolutely no trust in the agencies of HMG.  Until I see evidence that
they are being
adequately controlled, I won't be happy.

I'm reminded of (Lord Denning's(?)) comments at the time of the first
Birmingham 6
appeal, without reference it was along the lines of to accept the appeal
would be
to condemn the police as criminal.  I feel that is reasonable starting
point until
proved otherwise, more so for the DSS and others of that ilk.

Ian