Richard's Kingdom

Dear Lords and Ladies of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee I’m writing to ask you to represent the voice of UK citizens during the passage through the House of Lords of the Government’s Digital Economy Bill. I am deeply concerned by the measures this Bill would introduce, and given that my MP [...]

Legal firm Carter-Ruck has lost a secret battle to keep from public scrutiny the actions of its client the multi-national oil traders Trafigura. In a masterful display of political and media manoeuvring the Guardian led a charge of the blog-brigade against an injunction preventing the newspaper from reporting Parliamentary proceedings relating to the case. In [...]

Jacquie Smith is to step down as Secretary of State for the Home Department in the cabinet reshuffle that Gordon Brown is planning to make after the European elections on Thursday. While the door to the Home Secretary’s office has revolved ever more rapidly since 2001 the authoritarian brief of its occupants has hardly wavered. [...]

The British Parliament must not extend the practice of internment. In the UK you can already be detained without charge or trial for 28 days if you are accused of terrorism, acts preparatory to terrorism, possessing material for a terrorist purpose, being a member of a terrorist organisation, funding terrorism, attending a terror training camp, [...]

I am shocked and disappointed by the House of Commons’ attempt to exempt itself and the House of Lords from the Freedom of Information Act 2000. It’s uacceptable for our leaders to seek refuge from legislation designed to improve the accountability and transparancy of public bodies. Why should there be a special exemption for MPs [...]