Awww...what a shame!! (snigger!!) I suppose it's too much to ask that we've seen the back of all his nonsense now?? We live in hope!!
24 February 2004 BREAKING NEWS European Court of Human Rights whitewash and a Metric Martyr Victory. After a wait of over 18 months since lodging the case at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the Metric Martyrs received the court's decision. In a statement which makes the Hutton Inquiry look positively anaemic, the three judges declared the case inadmissable. The letter stated. "I write to inform you that on 3 February 2004 the European Court of Human Rights, sitting as a Committee of three judges (M.Pellonpaa, President, S.Pavlovschi and L.Garlicki) pursuant to Article 27 of the Convention, decided under Article 28 of the Convention to declare the above inadmissable because it did not comply with the requirements set out in Articles 34 and 35 of the Convention. In the light of all the material in its possession, and in so far as the matters complained of were within its competence, the Court found that they did not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms set out in the convention or its protocols. This decision is final and not subject to any appeal to either the Court or any other body. You will therefore appreciate that the Registry will be unable to provide any further details about the Committee's deliberations or to conduct any further correspondence relating to its decision in this case. You will receive no further documents from the Court concerning this case and, in accordance with the Court's instructions, the file will be destroyed one year after the despatch of this letter." The enormity and gravity of the implications of having the British Government before the Court to explain how, and why an authority outside the democratic control of the British people had been allowed to have supremacy over the British Parliament, and supremacy over our laws appears to be too big a decision. Ministers forced to suffer the embarassment of explaining the shambolic attempt at forcing a nation to adopt the metric system? Prevented by a whitewash... with no recourse and no reasons for rejection... a decision which actually conflicts with Article 6 of the Human Rights Act (According to Article 6: Every person is entitled to a fair and public hearing by an independent tribunal established in law and in a reasonable timeframe). It would bring to the attention of the nation the questionable legitimacy of the European Union. It would bring to the attention the position of our own elected representatives who, had "negotiated away" our democracy. They are merely the custodians of that democracy. The right to self-determination belongs to current and future generations within our democracy and is not the gift of the politicians; they are merely the leaseholders who need to return it intact after their term of office. The Metric Martyrs case exposed this betrayal and that is why the Court of Appeal in London came up with such an obscure judgment in 2002 contradicting constitutional law and astounding legal experts. That is why the Lords did not give reasons for rejection, and that is why the ECHR has attempted a whitewash. The constitutional implications of a victory for the Metric Martyrs would expose the deceit and duplicity behind our relationship with the European Union and expose the fact that Treaties would fall. Now, the stakes are raised even higher. VICTORY IN THE COURT OF THE PEOPLE The Metrication Regulations were introduced in January 2000. The four Metric Martyrs were the only ones EVER convicted. Hundreds of thousands of traders, including supermarkets, continue to defy the regulations daily. Everywhere you go you can still see prices by the pound and traders still sell by the pound...all criminal offences. Four years down the line every other attempt at enforcement (and there have been only four....Doncaster, Worcester, Colwyn Bay and Lewisham) have been thwarted after intervention by Neil Herron and the Metric Martyrs Defence Fund. The country hasn't gone metric, confirmed by Tony Blair in announcing little Leo as 6lb 12oz and more recently Gordon Brown announcing "my son John is 7lb 2oz." Steven and Leigh Thoburn announced their son's weight as 3796 grammes and no one knew whether he was the size of a tomato or a small hippopotamus. So, the question is, will authority dare to attempt to take us on bearing in mind that we now have many who are prepared to go to prison in defiance and will not accept laws proposed from outside the bounds of our accountable democracy. There are many more "ordinary people" starting to draw a line in the sand and say "no more." The Pensioners. The Council Tax rebels. Motorists. Farmers. Fishermen. Businessmen swamped under regulation and red tape proposed by the European Union which is now out of control. What Government potentially so close to an election would allow the imprisonment of pensioners and greengrocers? And how will the Government respond when called to face the European Court of Justice by the European Union for failure to implement the Metricatio Directive? A time for rocks and hard places? And, the question for Sunderland Council will be, "If you attempt to pursue Steven it will be seen as selective harassment as there have been no other attempts at enforcement anywhere within the city since July 2000 despite hundreds of other traders breaking the Metrication Regulations and the 1999 Price Marking Orders. As you have signed up to the Local Authority Enforcement Concordat it appears as though there has been some neglect. We wish to know the position, and look forward to your response. We wish the matter to be raised and decided upon as a matter of urgency." Steven Thoburn stated, "Finally people have recognised that this was a case about a principle and standing by that principle has ensured the Trading Standards have though twice about targeting anyone else... and hence no-one else has a criminal conviction for simply serving their customers. If Sunderland council wish to have another go, then I will not budge a centimetre and I will continue to serve my customers the way they wish to be served." Neil Herron, Campaign Director and former market trader stated, "this is only the beginning of the real fight where we will now force the policitians to address the unacceptable position of unaccountable governance. For too long the tail has attempted to wag the dog. The courage shown by Steven Thoburn and the Metric Martyrs in drawing their line in the sand, endorsed and passionately supported by the British public is the beginning of the taking back of our right to self-determination. No longer will the power mad, authoritarian bureaucrat or politician be able to attempt to harass and intimidate the little guy. Steven Thoburn has led the way and given others the strength and belief to follow. The fight will also be taken to the European Union itself and the European Elections will be contested to expose the democratic fig leaf the European Parliament actually is, and to then use that position to force our domestic politicians to face up to the question... who gave you the right to hand over control of OUR democracy to someone else. We are entering a new political dawn where people realise that THEY have the power and not the politicians." This is not over by a long way.(OH...BUT IT IS) In fact it is only just the beginning. (OH...BUT IT ISN'T!!)
