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Britain's "Patriot Act"
The government has published the Civil Contingencies Bill. Despite a series of changes, the proposals are draconian and could open the door to totalitarian rule, says the campaign group Statewatch.
When defining what is an "emergency" the definition, "presents a serious threat" is replaced by "an event or situation” which "threatens serious damage".
The category
in defining an emergency of "political, adminstrative or economic
stability of the UK" (the protection of government and financial
institutions) has been dropped.
However, the government response to the parliamentary joint committee
on the Bill says that powers would still exist for regulations to be made
which are designed "to protect or restore the activities of Her Majesty's
government".
But there is still no provision that parliament can vote on the declaration
of an emergency - it is simply recalled. The procedure for adopting regulations
remains that of Statutory Instruments - which can, at a minister's discretion,
be approved if there are not sufficient MPs to force a vote, says Statewatch.
The extensive powers to prevent "assemblies" (protests), travel and "other specified activities" (undefined) are unchanged.
The Schedule on "responders" (those to act under the regulations or at the "direction" of government ministers) now includes a wider definition which extends the definition of telecommunications to cover not just phones but also expressly "the transmission of data" (e-mails, websites etc).
Tony Bunyan,
Statewatch editor, comments:
"The concessions made by the government in no way change the fundamental
objections to this Bill. The powers available to the government and state
agencies would be truly draconian.
“Cities could be sealed off, travel bans introduced, all phones
cut off, and websites shut down. Demonstrations could be banned and the
news media be made subject to censorship.
“New offences against the state could be "created" by
government decree. This is Britain's Patriot Act. At a stroke democracy
could be replaced by totalitarianism."