mike[space] dot net

Today brings us the announcement that the UK Drugs Council is going to advise the downgrading of Ecstasy from a class A to a class B drug.

I just got home to discover that Claire was stopped by the police under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. It seems as though there is a blanket authorisation across the metropolitan police area for these powers to be (ab)used. And the whole thing has made me utterly furious. We'll be filling out the Liberty stop and search report form (which can be found here along with Liberty details on the law itself). And looking to see what grounds for complaint we might have.

I've watched the unfolding story of Damian Green's arrest with interest. The vocal reactions from Tories and Lib Dem MPs is all very well, but frankly we've kinda had it coming for some time. This is hardly the first time that counter terrorism police and laws have been used inappropriately and such abuses are a direct consequence of the fearmongering that all politicians should bear responsibility for.