Calne's Lull Before Its Storm

All is quiet in Calne today as regards the Lickhill Ward by-election due in the New Year. I am sure it is just the lull before the storm however I am sure things are going to get a lot more interesting.

On the national political scene there is always something of interest happening. I don’t know how this country would survive without the leadership of Gordon Brown. The Prime Minster has warned that Britain could be hit by terrorist attacks anywhere from any place. Perhaps his parents should have called him Sherlock instead of Gordon. Sherlock was speaking in advance of two major security reviews which, as far as I understand, highlight what must be done to protect the public from possible attacks in crowded locations. Short of banning gatherings of more than half a dozen people I am not sure what proposals are likely to come out of the report. I think that physical protection, similar to the bollards and concrete blocks placed around entrances to busy places may be on the cards but these don’t actually stop suicide bombers. One of the reports, I understand, will give more details of the new uniformed border patrols that will unite the Home Office Border and immigration Agency, Customs and the UK Visas overseas operation. Excellent idea, perhaps this force will be manned by unvetted security personnel and everyone will feel so much safer.

Sherlock also cited the July 7th London bomb attacks where the terrorists, I seem to recall they were Muslim (see yesterday’s blog), did so much damage here and suggested the battle we will have to fight we will be street by street, community by community and year by year. This sounds more like a serious civil uprising than the occasional terrorist attack. What is he saying? Again, if there are serious disturbances I am sure we will rest easy in our beds knowing he is in charge and those that are charged with our protection are equipped in the same way our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are, or perhaps he will just employ more powerless PCSO’s to maintain order.

Talking of the “nearly” police, I was not totally surprised to hear that there were almost 29,000 complaints made about the “real” police to the Independent Police Complaints Commission in England and Wales last year. This compares to 15,800 in the year prior to it being set up. 29,000 per year equates to just over 79 per day or 1 every 20 minutes! Of these only 1 in 10 of the complaints that was investigated was upheld. The most common complaint was categorised as “neglect or failure in duty”, accounting for 24% of the total closely followed by “incivility, impoliteness or intolerance” at 21%. I know that your average bobby is conscientious and very keen to do the job signed up for but is constantly being hampered by the politically correct leadership they have to work under. These figures indicate to me that they are becoming increasingly frustrated by having their hands tied by the rules and regulations that they have to deal with and are unable to fulfil their traditional role of walking the beat and maintaining law and order. Having to deal with those that have no respect for authority, together with the failure of the judges to sentence criminals appropriately must also be a great demoraliser. For proof of this look at one of the many blogs written anonymously by disgruntled police officers, an example is HERE.

Anyway that’s me done for today, evenin’ all!