Category Archives: Politics

Hacking Latest: Sunday Times targeted Brown

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According to the BBC, the Sunday Times illegally targeted private personal information of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The Sunday Times is also a member of Rupert Murdoch’s News International.

BBC documents suggest ‘blagging’ was used to obtain private medical and financial information. ‘Blagging’ was made illegal in 1994 and involves, ‘knowingly or recklessly obtaining or disclosing personal data without consent’. News international private investigators are thought to have targeted Brown’s police and tax records.

In one incident, someone said to be acting for the Sunday Times is accused of impersonating Mr Brown and obtaining details from his building society.

The BBC says, the Browns also fear another News International paper, the Sun, may have obtained medical records about their son Fraser. The Sun revealed Fraser had cystic fibrosis in 2006.

According to the Financial Times Gordon Brown is said to be very angry at News International, particularly for the incident relating to his son. He is expected to make a statement accusing other News International corporations of hacking.

Many are now asking how far the scandal goes? Have we only seen the tip of the iceberg so far.

In related news News Corporations bid for BskyB looked all but dead in the water as culture secretary Jeremy Hunt referred the bid to the regulator. Deputy PM Nick Clegg also urged Murdoch to abandon the takeover.

 

US Pakistan Relations Collapse; The US Suspends $800 Million of Military Aid

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The US is withholding $800 million in military aid to Pakistan. White house chief of staff Bill Daley told ABC television that Pakistan had, ‘taken some steps that have given us reason to pause on some of the aid’.

Relations between the US and Pakistan have deteriorated ever since the US killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan earlier this year.

The $800 million dollars is about the third of the annual US security aid to Pakistan. The New York Times has said the move is retaliation against the expulsion of US military trainers. It is also supposed to encourage Pakistan to step up its fight against militants.

The suspension of aid may also be a reaction to American anger that Osama bin Laden was living so comfortably and close to the Pakistani military academy in Pakistan. The US government has found it increasingly difficult to justify funding Pakistan with US tax payer’s money following the bin Laden raid.

The suspension of aid will worry many. The situation in Pakistan has always been extremely delicate and complex. The vast sums the US has paid in aid in the past allows them to have a semblance of control over the situation. It is especially important given Pakistan’s ownership of nuclear weapons. Let’s hope this decision doesn’t come back to haunt us in the future.

 

Blair Accused of Hushing up News of the World Hacking Scandal by Brown's Friends; Meanwhile Blair Slams Brown's Record in Office

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According to friends of Gordon Brown, Tony Blair urged Brown to put pressure on his fellow Labour MP and friend Tom Watson to back off the News of the World. A spokesman for Mr Blair has said, ‘The allegation is categorically untrue’.

Watson has played a major role in uncovering the hacking scandal. His two year campaign was a major reason for the closure of the News of the World. Watson used commons legal protection to make damning allegations against the News of the World and News International executive chief Rebekah Brooks. According to the dailymail.co.uk Watson was threatened by NI in the early stages of the investigation. He was said to have been told by someone in the company, ‘Rebekah Brooks will pursue you for the rest of her life’.

But Watson carried on regardless. He successfully called for, former news of the world editor Andy Coulson, to resign as prime minster David Cameron’s communications director. He has subsequently said in the commons that, ‘Rebekah Brooks was not only responsible for wrong doing, but knew about it’.

Tony Blair became a long-time friend of Mr Murdoch after they made a famous alliance in 1994. Ever since that point News Internationals papers supported Blair until he left office. The support was pulled from Labour when Gordon Brown took over the party, with Murdoch’s papers switching support to the rival conservative party. Whilst Mr Blair has denied the allegations a friend of Mr Brown said, ‘There is no doubt about it, Tony wanted Gordon to intervene’.

Mr Brown himself has refused to comment.

In a remarkable coincidence two days ago Tony Blair came out and attacked Gordon Brown’s record in office. Blair warned Labour against returning to its traditional left wing support. According to the independent.co.uk Blair tore into Brown’s time in office during an address to a progress campaign group. Blair said, ‘We lost the driving rhythm which made us so successful’. He accused the party of no longer being New Labour.

 

News Of The World Closes, Andy Coulson Arrested

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The News of The World is to close amid more scandal.

The newspaper, which has allegedly hacked phones belonging to Milly Dowler, servicemen killed in action and victims of the 7/7 atrocities, is 168 years old.

Some MPs believe the closure is to protect News International’s Chief Exceutive, Rebekah Wade, who appears to be something of a teflon don. But Andy Coulson, former Communications Chief for David Cameron, was not so lucky. Coulson was arrested at at a south London police station at 10.30 am today for alleged phone hacking and making illegal payments to police during his tenure as New of the World editor. He remains in custody.

His arrest was conducted by officers from Operation Weeting, the inquiry into phone hacking at the tabloid, and Operation Elveden, the investigation into allegations that police officers were illegally paid £100,000 by the newspaper during Coulson’s editorship.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The Metropolitan Police Service has this morning arrested a member of the public in connection with allegations of corruption and phone hacking.

“At 10:30, officers arrested a man on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, contrary to Section1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

The decision to axe the News of the World was made by James Murdoch. He said: “Actions that were taken by certain individuals in what had been a good newsroom breached the trust of the News of the World’s readers.

“We will cooperate fully with investigations into alleged activities, and will put processes in place to make sure that they won’t happen again.”

He went on to say that certain people “did not live up to the standards that the company believes in.”

Brad Pitt speaks out to support gay marriage

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Brad Pitt says every American should have the right to marry whoever they want.

The Hollywood actor – who raises six children, Maddox, nine, Pax, seven, Zahara, six, Shiloh, five, and two-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, with partner Angelina Jolie – is pleased New York State has legalised same-sex marriage and now wants the rest of the US to follow suit.

He said: “It is encouraging that New York has joined the movement to grant equal marriage rights to its citizens. But it is each American’s Constitutional right to marry the person they love, no matter what state they inhabit.

“No state should decide who can marry and who cannot. Thanks to the tireless work of so many, someday soon this discrimination will end and every American will be able to enjoy their equal right to marriage.”

Brad – who was once married to Jennifer Aniston – has previously said he won’t wed Angelina until gay marriage is legal everywhere.

He said: “I have love in my life, a soul mate – absolutely. When someone asked me why Angie and I don’t get married, I replied, ‘Maybe we’ll get married when it’s legal for everyone else.’

“I stand by that, although I took a lot of flak for saying it – hate mail from religious groups. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I’ve had the privilege of seeing my gay friends being parents and watching their kids grow up in a loving environment.”

Outrage as UK student faces Extradition to US over Alleged Copyright Breaches

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British student Richard Oliver faces extradition to the US for his website TV Shack, which offered links to films. He could face up to five years in a US jail.

Commentators have demanded an explanation as to how there can be any justification to extradite a UK national, with a UK based website and server, with no connection to the US at all.

The controversial 2003 US-UK extradition treaty has been heavily criticised for working one way only, there is no reciprocal agreement. Is it a threat to British sovereignty, particularly when used for such minor offences?

It is very questionable whether Mr Oliver has committed any offence at all. In fact some have speculated the attempt at extradition is precisely because Mr Oliver hasn’t actually committed an offence under UK law. His website doesn’t actually contain any copyrighted material itself, it only links to other sites.

In a very similar preceding case brought against Alan Ellis (Accused of Conspiracy to Defraud the music industry – note not a copyright offence) the prosecution’s case collapsed. It is likely that any case brought against Mr Oliver in the UK would have a similar result. http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2011/06/us-abuses-copyright-and-extradition-law-uk-acquiesces/

The case is particularly worrying given the recent e-G8 summit where governments discussed the possibility of regulating the internet. This despite the recent UN report which argued access to the internet was a basic right of expression. http://frostmagazine.com/2011/06/cutting-off-your-internet-could-breach-human-rights-says-un/

 

UN Says Cutting Off Your Internet Could Breach Human Rights

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Frank La Rue, the UN Rapporteur for the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression, has argued that removing somebody’s internet access deprives them of a basic right.

Mr La Rue presented his report, ‘on global access of the internet as a medium for freedom of expression, to the UN Human Rights Council this week.

In his report Mr La Rue condemned certain proposed and existing government legislation. In particular he singled out the UK’s Digital Economy Act which has a provision to restrict or remove internet access from those breaking copyright laws. His report was particularly concerned with ‘a centralised on/off control over the internet. He said, removing somebody’s internet access is to deprive them of a key component for the basic human right of freedom of expression.

The report comes in the wake of the e-G8 summit in Paris where Mr Sarkozy led discussions on proposals to regulate the internet. Governments worldwide have become increasingly fearful of the power of the internet, particularly in the wake of the Arab spring.

In his opening speech Sarkozy said, ‘the world you represent is not a parallel universe where legal and moral rules and more generally all the basic rules that govern society in democratic countries do not apply.’

But many internet entrepreneurs including Google chairman Eric Schmidt warned governments against attempts at legislation arguing, ‘technology will move faster than governments’.

Sarkozy has faced severe criticism for a recent internet law (the HADOPI law) which he has pushed forward. The law (to be enforced by a new government agency) could see those suspected of illegal file sharing brought before a judge.

Could these new government agencies precipitate a major government crackdown on the internet? While Mr La Rue’s report will be welcomed by many, it will take more than UN reports to ensure the freedom of the internet.

earlier post

Mrs Doyle’s brew up change in Westminster at Tea Time for Change.

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Hundreds of people from across the UK are heading to Westminster to hit back at aid sceptics and urge their MPs not to abandon the world’s poorest people. The mass lobby of politicians, called TEA TIME FOR CHANGE will bring people face to face with their MPs to discuss international development over a cup of tea and ask the government to make the vital changes needed to end global poverty.

Secretary of State for International Development ANDREW MITCHELL, Shadow Secretary HARRIET HARMAN and over 130 other MPs have agreed to meet their constituents over a cup of tea and talk about tackling global poverty with people who care passionately about these issues. www.actionaid.org.uk/tea_time_for_change

ActionAid’s Head of Campaigns, Jenny Ricks, spokesperson for Tea Time for Change said: “Supporters of international development will be using Tea Time for Change to share a cup of tea with their MPs. They’ll be pushing for the changes needed to stop more than a billion people going to bed hungry each night, 1,400 women dying in pregnancy and child birth every day and 72 million children missing out on the chance to go to school.”

To join the event on Thursday June 9, go to www.teatimeforchange.org.uk