are exactly why it amazes me when DUers hold up the UK and their laws as a model for US reform. The UK is turning into a police state in the name of civility..

whether it occurred orally, in writing, on the radio, or on Twitter!

Last edited Sun Apr 15, 2012, 04:37 PM - Edit history (2)

particularly as this is probably not an offence in the US where political language is more robust

If this abuse had been hurled in the Councillors face on the pavement in the UK it would have come under Section 5 of the Public Order Act where the maximum sentence would have been a fine of £1000. So now we have the ludicrous situation where 'crimes' committed on Twitter carry a higher sentence tariff than those carried out on the street. The net result will eventually be that people will simply thump their local Councillors rather than writing abuse about them on their blogs since it will probably carry a lesser sentence. Of course the top tip is to avoid Twitter which undoubtedly is going to see its business implode in the UK if this sort of thing carries on . All experienced trolls and libellors will almost certainly already be hiding behind proxies and VPNs In this case the Council and Councillors have not not invoked the libel law with regard to the claims about corruption and criminality in Bexley council posted on on Mr 'Cromwells' web site, a fact which some might regard as telling

There is also a serious disconnect here in the Councils behaviour. The whole point of being a Councillor is to represent your constituents. This inevitably means you are going to get a lot of communications from the public by email and other electronic means. Not all of these are going to be complimentary. If Councillors start invoking the criminal law each time a member of the public cuts up rough we may as well abolish local government in its current form, sack all the councillors and just let the unelected local government bureaucrats run the system.Ultimately the problem our politicians will have if they go down this road is that people will eventually stop simply abusing them and start thinking seriously about causing them actual physical harm I am afraid that day may not be far off now.

BTW I dont know how British politicians have the nerve to accuse other countries of abusing freedom and democracy when fascist tactics are becoming ever more common in our narrow and pinched UK democratic paradise

The right to be offensive to politicians is an essential part of British politics and the birthright of every true Brit. If a politician has shit for brains we have a right to tell him or her. If he or she is a crook it is our right to point out he or she is a money grubbing shit who would sell his or her own grandmother for a few quid or an ermine cloak. And how many politicians do you know of who deserve the C-word? William Hague leaps to mind. Our politics would be better if we adopted the standards of Hogarth's day.



Chairing the Members by William Hogarth.

there is apparently a criminal law against non-threatening language in the UK..Some I have conversed on DU have stated that the Canadian and UK model of process for 'modernizing' their rights, as opposed to the US model of ability to change the boundaries of rights, but it isn't easy or quick..I tend to believe, given the means, government will always push the line away from basic freedoms.