From: "John Hurst", [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Note: The important part of the article below is " Home Office >officials believe that the "new agenda for reform" will >include plans for a national police force". > >A national detective group and national intelligence unit have been set >up in recent years. Now Blair wants to move to a national police force >which will either supersede entirely the local forces or be placed above >them. One of the bulwarks against a police state is the placing of >policing outside central government control. Robert Henderson > > >Sunday Telegraph London 22/210/2000 > >Leaked memo exposes secret Number 10 plan for police > >DAVID CRACKNELL and DAVID BAMBER > >TONY Blair is planning's reform of the police so comprehensive that it >is being kept secret From officers until after the election, according >to a leaked Down-ins Street memorandum. > >The Prime Minister and Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, recognise that >their plans are so inflammatory they risk "alienating the police at a >crucial time". > >The document, disclosed to The Sunday Telegraph, reveals that Mr Blair >and Mr Straw derided to keep their reforms under wraps al a Downing >Street meeting in June. They fear that a battle with the police over >cost-cutting measures could damage their re-election chances . > >Home Office officials believe that the "new agenda for reform" will >include plans for a national police force, raising the retirement age >and scrapping overtime pay. > >The memo, written on No 10 notepaper, records discussions on June 26 >between Mr Blair, Mr Straw, Charles Clarke, the police minister, Sir >David Omand , the Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, and David >Millband, the head of the Downing Street Policy Unit. It reads: "The >Prime Minister said it was important to make progress on the agenda we >have already out. But he agreed with the Home Secretary that the time >was not right to set a new agenda for reform. It risked alienating the >police at a crucial time." > >Ann Widdecombe, the shadow home secretary, said last night. "This >smacks of deceit. If there are to be major reforms, there is both a >police and public interest in knowing about it. The Government should >come clean and tell us what the proposals are -- not hope to sneak >them through." > >The leaked document also reveals tensions over policy between Mr Straw >and Mr Blair, who told the meeting he wanted more "explicit anti-crime >measures such as extra prison places and the recruitment of more >magistrates. It shows that Mr Straw disagreed: "The Home Secretary >said we would be vulnerable to the criticism that CPS [Crown >Prosecution Service] resources had been cut in real terms over the past >five years, and that the Service therefore lacked the capacity to bring >some cases to court. > >"Nor should we signal that we were appointing more magistrates. The >problem in many cases was not the number [of them], but a tendency to >provide bail too easily." > >This is the first recorded acknowledgement of a crisis in the CPS, >which was underfunded at its launch and has struggled to provide >lawyers. > >Senior police representatives and ministers took part in a seminar on >reform last month, and last night an aide to the Home Secretary >insisted that there were no secret plans on the subject, > >"Any changes will involve full consultation with senior officers and >representatives of the rank and file," he said. "Our reform agenda is >well set out and has been widely welcomed by officers." -- Well, it'll be tough for the police to argue against a national licensing system for firearms with this knocking around! Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
