 Smith's
expenses claims were never any worse than many others' in Westminster,
although the porn angle did make them slightly funnier.
In any sensible, decent political system, she would have had to have
quit a long time ago. Not over money, but over ethics. Smith's tenure as
home secretary marked another sustained attempt by the government to
undo some of the best aspects of British politics.
Where to start? With drugs. When she reclassified cannabis, the home
secretary managed to do several pitiful things at once. Firstly, she
took a step backwards, undoing one of the only sensible, liberal actions
taken by her predecessor, David Blunkett. But it also flew against the
facts, which showed use was down since the drug became Class C. The
government's own advisory council – the view of experts and scientists –
asked for the Home Office not to do it. She did it anyway. She put Daily
Mail headlines over and above an effective drug policy which finally saw
usage drop and she put shabby politics above scientific advice, setting
an awful precedent.
Her efforts to basically scrap habeas corpus deserve a special mention.
Smith and the prime minister managed to scrape through the vote on
42-day detention, albeit relying on DUP votes. It's been pretty much
kicked into the long grass now, but the attempt reflects just how little
respect and understanding she had for the things that make this country
great, such as the rule of law and freedom from state tyranny.
Similar attitudes were on display this time last year, when journalists
read her letter to the NUJ with a mixture of horror and resignation. In
it, she stated that police could restrict photography in certain
circumstances, going against a long-standing principle in British
law of a free press. We got a good indication of why the press should be
able to photograph the police a few months ago, during the G20 protests.
Throughout the summer, we were briefed of a progressive new policy on
prostitution when parliament sat again. Instead we were treated to an
abominable piece of law, which made it an offence to have sex with a
woman controlled by a pimp. Legal experts exploded, because the law paid
no attention to whether or not the client actually knew the woman was
under control. But far more importantly, sex worker groups – who were
not even considered worthy of consultation – immediately said the law
would make them less safe. By effectively outlawing prostitution, Smith
had forced it further underground, preventing sex workers from
organising and cooperating when they sell their services. But then, it's
only evidence and empirical data which tells us that when we adopt such
a policy, there are more prostitute deaths, and the home secretary had
already proved how little she thought of such things when she upgraded
cannabis.
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article
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Gordon
Brown unveiled his plan to supposedly rebuild the country.
Gordon
Brown’s Communications Minister, who was made a peer after a brief period in
Number 10, is to leave the Government, The Times has learnt. His departure will
surprise Westminster, where Brown’s enemies will see it as more evidence of an
administration low on energy and ideas.
Health
minister Ben Bradshaw has been appointed as the new culture secretary,
replacing Andy Burnham, in a move that comes at a crucial time for the
media industry as the government weighs up crucial decisions about the
final Digital Britain report.
