20th May 2010
Nick Clegg’s Declaration of the People
Mark Hanson
Nick Clegg, the new Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, has delivered a truly startling speech in which he outlined some of the principles that would govern the policies of the coalition Government, and also made some reaffirmations of the main actions that he and the government will undertake.
In a very telling phrase, Mr Clegg said: “This will be a government that is proud when British citizens stand up against illegitimate advances of the state. That values debate, that is unafraid of dissent.”
The previous administration seemed to live on the basis of fear. After 9/11 and 7/7 it was understandable, yet became so entrenched that everyone was a potential criminal, a potential terrorist. As Nick Clegg said: “Thousands of criminal offences were created under the previous government. Taking people’s freedom away didn’t make our streets safe. Obsessive lawmaking simply makes criminals out of ordinary people.”
The Deputy Prime Minister declared that ID cards, the national identity register, and the children’s database ContactPoint would be scrapped. He also made it clear that government should be the servant of the people, not the master.
These are very welcome developments, yet campaigning must go on. There were some elements that were left open. Nick Clegg has called on the people to let him know which laws should be included in his Great Repeal Bill. There are so many laws that have gravely undermined Britain’s status as a free nation.
One area that Rabel is concentrating on is free speech. The previous government made certain expressions, certain opinions, criminal offences.
Yet there are many other laws that simply make criminals out of law-abiding people, without any other serious purpose.
Rabel would encourage you to write to Nick Clegg MP, and bring to his attention those laws that you consider to be worthless intrusion.
