Brown wants to lift Iraq protests restriction

[ProSense]

Brown wants to lift Iraq protests restriction

1 hour, 1 minute ago

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's next prime minister, Gordon Brown, reportedly wants to reverse a law introduced under current premier Tony Blair which restricts anti-Iraq war protests outside parliament.

Brown, who takes over Wednesday and has pledged to lead a "listening" government, has tried to distance himself from Blair's backing for the 2003 conflict since being confirmed as his successor last month, The Sunday Times reported.

Despite voting in favour of the war, he has admitted that "mistakes" were made in Iraq and apologised for intelligence errors in the run-up to the United States-led and British-backed invasion.

The finance minister's latest idea would kill legislation introduced in 2005, which banned all protests within half a mile (0.8 kilometres) of parliament without prior police approval.

Despite the controversial move, Brian Haw, who started a peace camp opposite parliament in 2001 and who many commentators believed the initial legislation targeted, is still protesting on the same site.

He was allowed to stay because his protest pre-dated the legislation.

The paper said Brown, who faces anti-war demonstrations in Manchester, north-west England, later Sunday as he is confirmed as Labour Party leader, believes the right of the public to demonstrate is crucial to democracy.

more

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. ahhh, more "mistakes were made"

some people say... :silly:

Edit: this IS making fun of the AFP, not the poster..

[Kagemusha]

2. The ban is for all protests, not Iraq protests.

The article even mentions it (my beef is with the AFP, not the poster)

[ProSense]

3. Why do you suppose they suddenly banned all protest?

Does it really matter? It's undemocratic, and Brown has the right idea.

[Kagemusha]

5. Suddenly...? I recall it was a long process.

But whatever. Blair has a security paranoia thing going that seems to be genuine and governments are never big fans of protests. Not that you care. Not that I think Brown's decision here is incorrect.

[ProSense]

6. Excuse me?

"Not that you care"?

Why the hell are you getting all defensive and proclaiming to know what I care about?

Got a chip, keep it to yourself. The OP was about Brown reversing Blair, not me.

[Kagemusha]

7. I mean it's obvious you'd oppose banning protests, sudden or not.

I'm sorry for how I worded it.

[ProSense]

4. Blair was trying so hard to follow Bush

over a cliff.