by madeupname452 » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:10 pm
<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong> UK Govt Sources Confirm War With Iran Is On</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br>In the last few days, I learned from a credible and informed source that a former senior Labour government Minister, who continues to be well-connected to British military and security officials, confirms that Britain and the United States<br><br>"... will go to war with Iran before the end of the year."<br>more at ...<br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.nafeez.blogspot.com/">www.nafeez.blogspot.com/</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>UK: Civil Contingencies Act: Emergency Powers - ancient arbitrary powers preserved</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br>- Royal perogative and Privy Council to authorise emergency powers<br>- Scope of new law extended to protect the government, the state and financial institutions<br><br><br>The first part of the Bill on Civil Protection is one thing but the second part on Emergency Powers brought the following editorial comment from the Guardian newspaper on 20 June that this represents:<br><br>"the greatest threat to civil liberty that any parliament is ever likely to consider"<br><br>The original 1920 Act was passed at a time of great political and industrial unrest and gave the goverment draconian powers which can be introduced under the royal prerogative and adopted by "Orders in Council" - that is, by a meeting of any two Privy Counsellors (all cabinet ministers are automatically made Privy Counsellors on appointment). Parliament has to agree new powers adopted but all real power is delegated to government ministers and state officials. The 1964 Act made permanent provisions in wartime Defence (Armed Forces) Regulations 1939 to allow military personnel to replace civilian workers. In 1972 a Civil Contingencies Unit was set up in the Cabinet Offic and when an internal crisis arises it operates through the operational centre known as "COBRA" (Cabinet Office Briefing Room).<br><br>The scope of the Bill goes well beyond that of the 1920 Act. This Act was concerned solely with:<br><br>"the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel, or light, or with the means of locomotion, to deprive the community, or any substantial portion of the community, of the essentials of life"<br><br>The new Bill does include the "essentials of life" for the population (Art 17.1.a) but massively extends the scope under Article 17.1 to:<br><br>"(c) the political, administrative or economic stability of the United Kingdom or of a Part or region or (d) the security of the United Kingdom or a Part or region"<br><br>Article 17.1.c. is defined in Article 17.4 as covering the "activities of Her Majesty's government", "the performance of public funcions" and "the activities of banks and other financial institutions".<br><br>Tony Bunyan, Statewatch editor, comments:<br><br>"What is extraordinary is that the government in reviewing an 83 year old law still wants to rely on the ancient powers of the monarch. Moreover it intends to change its purpose from a law to provide the essentials of life for the population to one that also covers the protection of the government, the state and financial institutions.<br><br>Most people will not be aware that under emergency plans put in place in the late 1970s travel bans can be introduced, food rationed and all telecommunications cut off under the Telephone Preference System - the whole of the civilian population can be cut off from the outside world with no access to phone-calls, e-mails or the internet at a stroke."<br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.statewatch.org/news/2003/jun/23acivil.htm">www.statewatch.org/news/2003/jun/23acivil.htm</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <p></p><i></i>
