1. Misuse of Terrorism Act 2000 44(2)

    I just watched the compelling documentary Taking Liberties, which prompted me to finally send my complaint to the IPCC, and finish off this draft.

    I was travelling Oxford to Cambridge, and had missed my connection at Paddington Station, London. With insufficient money for a hotel, I decided to just sleep in the station and catch the first train back to Cambridge. It was a cold night, so I plugged my headphones into my iPod, switched it to Pseudopod, pulled my Warwick Atheists hoodie tight around me, and sat on a light for warmth. For the next hour or so, I moved between sitting on lights and sitting with my back to a lit sign on a stall, trying to get most warm and most comfortable. There were a few other people in the station — perhaps in similar circumstances, perhaps homeless and seeking shelter from the outside wind. After some time I was dosing and listening to Pseudopod still, when I was woken (about 01:45 am) by a couple of officers in uniform who informed me that they were conducting “random” stop-and-searches under new anti-terrorism regulations. They asked me why I was there, and various other circumstantial questions. They asked to look in my backpack (which contained clothes, university work, laptop, wires).

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  2. Legal use of Terrorism Act 2000 44(2)

    In follow up to my previous post. So I complained to the IPCC. After a number of initially dismissive letters back and forth, I started to get some thoughtful responses.

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  3. Letter to the government: drop the Health and Social Care Bill 2011

    Everyone knows the shocking scale of the Tory-led coalition government’s proposed changes to the NHS and degree to which they disregard public and expert concerns.

    If you care about public healthcare in the UK, write to your MP. NOW.

    Below the fold is the letter I have sent to my MP and to various members of the House of Lords, complete with references.

    NHS Letter Open

    Direct link to pdf.