Letters - Monday, October 11, 2021

We’re going to lose a lot of our freedoms
PolicePolice
Police

Already in place is The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Act ( CHIS) which received royal assent in March this year.

CHIS allows innumerable agencies for example, the police, armed forces any government department, to authorise undercover agents to infiltrate any group or organisation which they suspect, not just of terrorist offences, but of any activity thought to be against political or business interest.

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On the horizon is Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill which is designed to take away our fundamental right to protest.

Think how this would have affected the peaceful protesters in Little Plumpton against Cuadrilla and fracking in the nearby vicinity. They simply would not have been allowed.

There are other bills coming up for debate, The On-Line Safety Bill which amounts to censorship of anyone with an opinion which is against government diktat, like this letter for instance.

The Counter State Threats Bill will destroy investigative journalism.

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Journalists who uncover corruption may well, in the future, if this bill is passed, be accused of spying.

The relinquishing of our individual rights and freedoms is deeply disturbing.

Looking back through history, this is how dictatorships are built.

Many, I feel, will approve of this kind of authoritarian control and accept without question until reality strikes home.

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The country has been subjected to weaponised propaganda for a number of years, which makes it difficult to distinguish truth from reality. I am an ordinary woman, not especially political, but ordinary people are little more than pawns being played out on a world stage. Time is short. We have to resist in order to maintain our autonomy.

Jane Dean

Address supplied

POLITICS

What’s behind the green door?

I think most people would agree that the door at number 10 Downing Street is iconic, (whatever one’s political persuasions) and is famous throughout the world, being around since the 1700s.

It’s painted white inside with the door only being able to be opened from the inside, the ‘0’ is actually an ‘O’ and is set at an angle.

In 1908 Herbert Asquith became Prime Minister and had the door painted ‘Brunswick Green’ as a statement that green was widely available to the general population. Black was rare until the 1930’s.

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What a statement it would make if Mr Johnson had the number 10 door painted green, it would signal the country’s direction to the rest of the world.

Mike Marlow

Via email

CRIME

Lone police officer and what to do?

We should call out to a member of the public, flag down a car, or even call 999 when confronted by a lone police officer is the advice given (‘Women call 999 on officers’, The Gazette October 5). However, what if a lone officer takes us unaware and places who they deem is a suspect in handcuffs then how can a person flag down a car, or even call 999?!

Shouting for help from any passers-by, surely they would ignore such pleas on the assumption they have been detained for a reason and solely attempting to get free?

No doubt our police force are thinking of the best way to avoid any further fatalities and are devastated one of their own has taken liberties with an horrific and unforgivable crime, but maybe some rules can be changed so that no one is under arrest until another officer or more arrive on the scene.

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On the other hand, if as a passer-by we do witness someone being detained by a lone officer screaming and shouting they’ve not done anything wrong, we could stay with them until back-up arrives.

Clifford Chambers

Blackpool

TOWN

Don’t care about just vanity projects

Whilst the planned projects such as the Central development scheme and the Houndshill development etc are to be applauded, do members of the council ever walk round the town centre and see what a dump it is? (This saddens me to say it as a Blackpool lad).

Isn’t it time something was done to clear up the dilapidated mess that Talbot Road has become? I say knock it down and build some much needed ‘city flats’ to bring much needed life to the area.

Wake up Blackpool Council and show you care for our town and not just the ‘vanity projects’!

Neal Duffy

Via email

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