Comments on: The Civil Liberties agenda in Britain http://brontides.com/2010/06/the-civil-liberties-agenda-in-britain/ A dull thud in the distance Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:29:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steven Bloomer http://brontides.com/2010/06/the-civil-liberties-agenda-in-britain/#comment-2239 Steven Bloomer Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:54:36 +0000 http://brontides.com/?p=506#comment-2239 I've been following these issues for some time since first protesting the SOCPA ban on protest outside parliament in 2005. In this time I also wrote a play inspired by it which is now going on next month at the Southwark Playhouse. It's called Boiling Frogs. Do come and check it out, book for a Thursday to for free post-show events with Henry Porter, Amnesty, Mark Barrett, Human Rights Watch and Justice. www.factorytheatre.co.uk www.twitter.com/_Factory I’ve been following these issues for some time since first protesting the SOCPA ban on protest outside parliament in 2005. In this time I also wrote a play inspired by it which is now going on next month at the Southwark Playhouse. It’s called Boiling Frogs. Do come and check it out, book for a Thursday to for free post-show events with Henry Porter, Amnesty, Mark Barrett, Human Rights Watch and Justice.

http://www.factorytheatre.co.uk
http://www.twitter.com/_Factory

]]> By: Jenny http://brontides.com/2010/06/the-civil-liberties-agenda-in-britain/#comment-1932 Jenny Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:41:19 +0000 http://brontides.com/?p=506#comment-1932 Great post. Another angle on the civil liberties and civil rights which touches on issues far from dear to the hearts of white, middle class Brits, is in <i>foreign</i> policy. While it's not what you're discussing here - fair enough, but I think the issues are ones which link to your discussion - I'll be a lot happier when British politicians are a bit more willing to stand up to other countries when it comes to civil rights and/or extradition. Rights of supposed "terrorists" are probably never going to be that popular a subject within the coalition government, but it's an important issue. If civil liberties and civil rights are going to be useful at all, it can't be just a case of invoking the relevant language where it's popular, or where you feel like it; it's got to be part of a systematic and coherent approach to people both internally, and from an international perspective. It's all part of the same dialogue. Great post.

Another angle on the civil liberties and civil rights which touches on issues far from dear to the hearts of white, middle class Brits, is in foreign policy. While it’s not what you’re discussing here – fair enough, but I think the issues are ones which link to your discussion – I’ll be a lot happier when British politicians are a bit more willing to stand up to other countries when it comes to civil rights and/or extradition.

Rights of supposed “terrorists” are probably never going to be that popular a subject within the coalition government, but it’s an important issue. If civil liberties and civil rights are going to be useful at all, it can’t be just a case of invoking the relevant language where it’s popular, or where you feel like it; it’s got to be part of a systematic and coherent approach to people both internally, and from an international perspective. It’s all part of the same dialogue.

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