Tony Hatfield's Retired Ramblings

Blair's Britain

On June 18th, Steven Jago was arrested under the Serious Crime and Disorder Act. The "serious crime" involved carrying a placard containing George Orwell's statement : "In a time of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act". When... Read more →

More Rebalancing Nonsense from Blair

Hardly a week passes without Blair or one of his New Labour acolyes use the expression "rebalancing the justice system". Today, in a well leaked speech in Bristol, he adds "in favour of the "victims of crime". Rebalancing sounds nice;... Read more →

"Summer is Icumin In"!

After spending most of the winter months with spade and fork turning over the soil and removing as many perennial weeds as possible, the last few weeks have been a pleasure. The warm weather and rain have been ideal for... Read more →

Separation of Powers?

The English Constitution occasionally claims to separation of powers. It's nonsense of course and the unhappy mix of the judicial and the executive in the roles of the Lord Chancellor and Attorney General proves the point. Both are political appointees... Read more →

Thunderer "Unduly Lenient"?

Today’s Sunday Times screams, “ “Lenient” judges shamed in list”. It is reporting the number of “unduly lenient” sentences referred to the Court of Appeal by that toughy Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General. It’s another broadside from this government against... Read more →

The Stink gets Worse?

Channel 4 News are reporting that prior to the raid on the Forest Gate property, there was a meeting between the Met and MI5 in the Home Office. The source confirmed that "no Ministers were present". But why should a... Read more →

Another Botched Operation?

It seems increasingly likely that the intelligence the police used identify the "suspects" and to break into an innocent Muslim family's flat, was from a "police informer". (source) And today's the spin from the Met is "even if it suggests... Read more →