[Heyesey]

Originally Posted by Unionist

The same could be said of the police themselves who have said they have the BNP membership list and will act on it if any members are in the force it is stolen property

Stolen goods is an arrestable offence, but information is not. (Unless, as Cyclone mentioned above, the Official Secrets Act is in play.)

In other words, if a police officer has the physical piece of paper the list was written on, he could be charged; but for knowing which names were on it, no he can't.

[Unionist]

Originally Posted by Heyesey

Stolen goods is an arrestable offence, but information is not. (Unless, as Cyclone mentioned above, the Official Secrets Act is in play.)

In other words, if a police officer has the physical piece of paper the list was written on, he could be charged; but for knowing which names were on it, no he can't.

Minefield .

By downloading the list you have accepted stolen property in the same way as someone downloading records from a file sharing site , it doesn't have to be a piece of paper or a cd theft is theft and recieving is recieving .
But all this is off topic are the police now becoming the paramilitary arm of ZanuLabour is more to the point .

[boyfriday]

Originally Posted by Greybeard

Not quite. He was arrested on a common-law offence, but anti-terrorist police officers took part in the raids and searches.

To all intents and purposes, officers of the anti terror unit of the Metropolitian Police, introducing themselves as such, will have the desired effect of intimidating a frightened suspect.

What were they doing there and at who's invitation?

Originally Posted by Greybeard

He won't be prosecuted - the CPS are well aware that no jury would convict him for treading on Jaqi Smith's toes in pursuit of the public interest.

The worst aspect of the case is that Brown and Smith can tell poker-faced lies about not having prior knowledge.

I agree, even if Brown & Smith didn't know, they should have done.

It's beyond conmprehension that the 'senior' civil servant', who referred this to the police didn't appreciate the senstive nature of any enquiry. The police having received the complaint must have had no regard for Mrs Smith or her authority if they felt they could arrest a member of the shadow cabinet, without discussions at the highest level.

[TeaFan]

Originally Posted by Nodens

A crime?

These people are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, what they are employed, by us, to do, that is serving the best interests of the public.

Christ, I agree with you. Things must be bad.

Damian Green should have posted them on wikileaks.org, that way he may have got away with it.

On a slightly more cynical note, can I assume that the Daily Mail is now going to campaign on behalf of all people treated heavy-handedly by the police? Hmm, maybe not, eh?

[Heyesey]

Originally Posted by Unionist

Minefield .

By downloading the list you have accepted stolen property in the same way as someone downloading records from a file sharing site

downloading records is not a stolen-property offence, just a breach of copyright issue. The list isn't copyrighted.

[grafikhaus74]

Is it sinister?

Now if Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested, we'd know what was going on.

If lists of his supporters were made public, allowing people to target them, attack them etc. we'd know what was going on.

But this is Brown's Britain, and these things don't happen here of course.

[Funky_Gibbon]

Originally Posted by SHY TED

Yes they call it Parliamentary Privilige. I note even Tony Benn was on the radio today condemning the arrest as a means of stifling public debate.

This isn't covered by Parliamentary Privilege.

In the United Kingdom, it allows members of the House of Lords and House of Commons to speak freely before those houses without fear of legal action on the grounds of slander. It also means while a member is within the grounds of the Palace of Westminster he/she cannot be arrested on civil matters; there is no immunity from arrest on criminal grounds.

[Funky_Gibbon]

Originally Posted by TeaFan

Damian Green should have posted them on wikileaks.org, that way he may have got away with it.

There's a definition of the kind of information that can be legally leaked by whistleblowers.

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects workers who 'blow the whistle' about wrongdoing. It makes provision about the kinds of disclosures which may be protected

Qualifying disclosures are disclosures of information which the worker reasonably believes tend to show one or more of the following matters is either happening now, took place in the past, or is likely to happen in the future :

* a criminal offence;
* the breach of a legal obligation;
* a miscarriage of justice;
* a danger to the health or safety of any individual;
* damage to the environment; or
* deliberate covering up of information tending to show any of the above five matters.

Nothing leaked to Damien Green or by Damien Green is covered by this. Therefore the civil servant who leaked the information was breaching the confidentiality agreement they no doubt had to sign, the Data Protection Act and probably a few other laws. Damien Green, if he has had a prolonged and repeated arrangement with this civil servant, may have broken the law I mentioned earlier.

Originally Posted by Cyclone

Did you bother to read what it is that he shared with the media? In no way is it related to terrorism, to use such legislation to arrest him is a travesty.

Unless the information meets the requirements above for whistleblowing (and none of it did) then it's a breach of several laws. If Green had an arrangement to receive leaked information then he's may have broken the law on "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office" which is what he was arrested under.

You're right this has nothing to do with terrorism. It's a case for Special Branch who historically have investigated security issues. Since 2006 Special Branch and Anti-Terrorism Branch combined to form Counter Terrorism Command. They still have the mandate to investigate security breaches.

[SHYTOT]

Originally Posted by Funky_Gibbon

There's a definition of the kind of information that can be legally leaked by whistleblowers.



Nothing leaked to Damien Green or by Damien Green is covered by this. Therefore the civil servant who leaked the information was breaching the confidentiality agreement they no doubt had to sign, the Data Protection Act and probably a few other laws. Damien Green, if he has had a prolonged and repeated arrangement with this civil servant, may have broken the law I mentioned earlier.




Unless the information meets the requirements above for whistleblowing (and none of it did) then it's a breach of several laws. If Green had an arrangement to receive leaked information then he's may have broken the law on "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office" which is what he was arrested under.

You're right this has nothing to do with terrorism. It's a case for Special Branch who historically have investigated security issues. Since 2006 Special Branch and Anti-Terrorism Branch combined to form Counter Terrorism Command. They still have the mandate to investigate security breaches.

It seems Tony Benn doesn't agree with you, but there again what does he know. He was only an MP for 51 years

[TeaFan]

Originally Posted by Funky_Gibbon

There's a definition of the kind of information that can be legally leaked by whistleblowers.



Nothing leaked to Damien Green or by Damien Green is covered by this. Therefore the civil servant who leaked the information was breaching the confidentiality agreement they no doubt had to sign, the Data Protection Act and probably a few other laws. Damien Green, if he has had a prolonged and repeated arrangement with this civil servant, may have broken the law I mentioned earlier.




Unless the information meets the requirements above for whistleblowing (and none of it did) then it's a breach of several laws. If Green had an arrangement to receive leaked information then he's may have broken the law on "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office" which is what he was arrested under.

You're right this has nothing to do with terrorism. It's a case for Special Branch who historically have investigated security issues. Since 2006 Special Branch and Anti-Terrorism Branch combined to form Counter Terrorism Command. They still have the mandate to investigate security breaches.

Whether it's against the law is largely irrelevant when it comes to whether he did the right thing. Since governments make the laws, when they use those laws to protect themselves it is the duty of those in the know to break the law in disclosing it. It's illegal to criticise the government in N. Korea - so should be not care when someone is arrested for doing it?

[SHYTOT]

Originally Posted by boyfriday

To all intents and purposes, officers of the anti terror unit of the Metropolitian Police, introducing themselves as such, will have the desired effect of intimidating a frightened suspect.

What were they doing there and at who's invitation?


I agree, even if Brown & Smith didn't know, they should have done.

It's beyond conmprehension that the 'senior' civil servant', who referred this to the police didn't appreciate the senstive nature of any enquiry. The police having received the complaint must have had no regard for Mrs Smith or her authority if they felt they could arrest a member of the shadow cabinet, without discussions at the highest level.

1984 just 24 years late

[shoeshine]

Originally Posted by esme

I wonder how long it will be before bloggers are detained and their premises and homes searched for publishing statements which are uncomfortably close to government plans that the government would prefer were not published

Bloggers are under threat already for using the power of free speech and insider information. And they know it!

Several blog sites I read have already recognise the bloggers views/reportage of same and whistleblowing from "concerned insiders", combined with incisive criticism of the "Executive" are under attack from elements within "our great and good" rulers careful to maintain their personal reputations created by the "Spin Meisters" they employ at the public's expense.

[Longcol]

Originally Posted by Greybeard

Not quite. He was arrested on a common-law offence, but anti-terrorist police officers took part in the raids and searches.

He won't be prosecuted - the CPS are well aware that no jury would convict him for treading on Jaqi Smith's toes in pursuit of the public interest.

The police have what they wanted - access to his text and email messages over a long period.

The worst aspect of the case is that Brown and Smith can tell poker-faced lies about not having prior knowledge.

Nulabour are beginning to look like national sociaslists.

If Labour had such control over the Police then surely they would have avoided the arrests of staff in the cash for honours investigations.

I think the way the Police acted then and in the Green case is wrong.

[segasonic]

On the bright side, it seems that only having one leg doesn't stop you being a copper.

[Cyclone]

Originally Posted by Unionist

Minefield .

By downloading the list you have accepted stolen property in the same way as someone downloading records from a file sharing site , it doesn't have to be a piece of paper or a cd theft is theft and recieving is recieving .
But all this is off topic are the police now becoming the paramilitary arm of ZanuLabour is more to the point .

You couldn't be much more wrong if you tried.
Despite what the record companies would like you to believe, breach of copyright is not theft.
Downloading copyright information is just that, a breach of copyright, a civil offence, and unless you can be shown to be profitting from it there've been no contested cases in the UK where anyone has been convicted.
Receiving information that belongs to the government, when you are part of the government, well that wouldn't even be a breach of copyright would it.

[Greybeard]

The more you read about this business the more it smells like somebody has just opened a tin of mackerel fillets.

Home Secretary's minions arrest Shadow Home Secretary on vague suspicion and confiscate all his private and personal documents, - even love letters to his wife from twenty years ago. An arrest authorised by no less a person than the head of the anti-terrorist squad.

Damien Green could himself be the Home Secretary after the next election, but would he want to be now the police have all his most intimate communications tucked away in their 'might come in handy' vault ?

Robert Mugabe couldn't have done it better.

[SHYTOT]

Originally Posted by Longcol

If Labour had such control over the Police then surely they would have avoided the arrests of staff in the cash for honours investigations.

But they did avoid all prosecutions which was the important thing.

Arise Sir Plod and thank you.

[Longcol]

Originally Posted by SHYTOT

1984 just 24 years late

Get a grip.

In "1984" we wouldn't have even heard of it never mind had most of the media up in arms about it.

[Longcol]

Originally Posted by Greybeard

Robert Mugabe couldn't have done it better.

Mugabe would have sent round heavies to give the guy a beating..if he was lucky.

You really do make light of what a lot of the poor sods in Zimbabwe are suffering.

[Alastair]

THE Prime Minister last night began the elimination of his enemies as he pledged to cleanse Britain of the virus of dissent.

Crowds cheered and threw rotten fruit at Conservative MP Damian Green as he was dragged from his bed in the early hours by the Prime Minister's anti-treason officers. The traitor Green was questioned for nine hours before confessing. His whereabouts are now unknown though Downing Street said he was in a place where he could do no more harm.

More arrests are expected today as Mr Brown makes an example of all those who would seek to destroy our faith in his wisdom and kindness.According to Downing Street the Prime Minister questioned Green personally and was able to secure the names of more than 20 co-conspirators after the application of electrodes and a small wet sponge.

A spokesman said: "Listen well, treacherous scum. We know where you live. Do not try to hide from us. You will simply prolong your inevitable journey into the realms of pain."

He added: "All of those who have at any time questioned the Prime Minister's actions and judgement must surrender immediately.

"We can then begin the joyful process of re-ordering your thoughts and returning you to full productivity."

The people have welcomed the purge with many leaving bouquets and gifts outside Downing Street. Meanwhile primary school children in Reading have made a collage depicting the Prime Minister cuddling a baby horse.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/war/ ... 811281425/