Law and order

Extreme rightwing polices on law and order are part of New Labour's conscious strategy of isolating the Tories from the right. It is a manifestation of "triangulation", which I have explained in a previous Umbrella. It is almost impossible get any further to the right on ID cards, asylum seekers, youth criminalisation and expansion of prisons.

It reminds me of an incident during a long-forgotten general election public meeting (in ancient times parties used to invite the voters to listen to their polices and ask questions) in which one exasperated questioner asked the pro-hanging and -flogging Tory candidate if he intended to re-introduce the rack. We don't need to ask Blair and Bush this question for they are intent on sending asylum seekers back to countries where the rack and electric shocks are used as a normal part of the judicial process. No wonder Charles Clarke refused to investigate the killing and torture of suspected Nazi and Communist agents by Britain after the Second World War. It would have thrown too much light on current practices.

Both Blair and Clarke have rounded upon the broadsheet critics, claiming they are namby-pamby liberals out of touch with life on the streets and the threat of terrorism. However they failed to answer the more intelligent critics who have highlighted the attacks on the independence of the judiciary and the reintroduction of racist "sus" laws. 37% of young black males now have their DNA on the police database. The vast majority have not been convicted of any offence.

Before the local elections New Labour produced a national leaflet attacking the Liberal Democrats on law and order. They distributed it in mainly white working-class areas in order to build up a climate of fear. This strategy played directly into the hands of the British National Party. New Labour's enthusiastic support of ASBOs is helping to criminalise the youth of Britain.

But their attacks are even more sinister. In reorganising the police the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire has described how they have effectively destroyed local democratic control and placed almost unlimited powers in the hands of the Home Secretary. New Labour has not introduced a single piece of legislation that increases democratic scrutiny and control of the law and order process. They have not done a single thing to help local communities to become strong and vibrant places where criminality does not flourish.

New Orleans

Gary Younge, writing in the Guardian, has shown how the US government has conspired with white run businesses to keep black people from returning to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The effect has been to effectively disenfranchise thousands of poor black voters in the Mayoral election. Government efforts seem to be directed to rebuilding New Orleans as a majority white city. In the poor areas they are still finding dead bodies, many half eaten by animals. The central middle class and tourist districts have been almost returned to their former state.

This is deliberate. The US government turned down Fidel Castro's offer of medical aid and other help in the aftermath of the hurricane, leaving hundreds without proper care, some to even die. Now it emerges that food flown in from the British government was never distributed to the poor because the Bush government blocked it. Not a hint of protest from Blair. No wonder the Government is even blocking the distribution of free European wine to British pensioners. Even under Thatcher it was possible to distribute surplus butter to pensioners.