Brian Barder's website and blog Brian Barder's website and ephems
Michael Meacher & The Summit
allegedly dropping a highly competent Environment Minister from the team for an Environment conference.
UN authority
attacking Iraq: why explicit UN authority is essential, with suggested answers to some of the objections raised;
China and drugs
“China executed 64 people convicted of drug crimes to mark the UN anti-drug day, the state media said yesterday.”—Guardian, 27 June 2002. Not exactly what the UN had in mind in naming Anti-Drug Day, presumably. Still, it shows that they were anxious to observe it.
Keeping people in prison for maintaining their innocence;
Talking of unjust and prolonged detention, the press reported on 20 June yet another case of a man who had been convicted of murder, received the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, recommended by the Parole Board for release as being no longer dangerous, but kept in prison because of the Home Secretary (Jack Straw at the time) overruling the Parole Board’s finding.
The new Mental Health Bill
The new Mental Health Bill is a real winner, isn’t it?—powers to lock up indefinitely anyone who a couple of “experts” and a tribunal reckon may do someone harm in the future!