We have already seen the UK Courts defying the elected government, preferring to follow the line dictated by the EUSSR.
Now, mirabile dictu, we have the unedifying spectacle of the Association of Chief Police Officers openly defying the Prime Minister. I hold little truck for Cameron, who is a weak and deceitful post-holder (but then he’s a politician, so what do you expect?), but the government is the government and ultimately the various police forces must do as they are instructed.
Or are we really facing the prospect of an EUSSR-run police state, with Parliament and the government sidelined and “the people” even further removed from any democratic principles? Strange place, the UK. It is not the country I left 20 years ago.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Today’s summit between Angela and Nicolulla could well lay the foundations of a Euro-state with a common fiscal policy and total loss of sovereignty among the Euro-lot. But ironically it will also trigger a strong movement away from the EU in Britain (I can’t guess how Ireland will react). Whether that will influence the policies on law and order remains to be see.
Ord is smarting from the suggestion that Bill Bratton is advising Cameron and is against him being parachuted in to take the top policing job. But this should come as no surprise from ACPO, a private company which made £15 million last year, jobs for the boys?
I heard one of them being interviewed and complaining that the ‘American model’ would never work in the UK because in the UK policing is by consent (of the citizens that is), well we saw last week what consensual policing results in!
A private company which is not subject to the Freedom of Information laws, OMG. I seriously question the legality of the body.
Do not forget that most current senior police officers are political appointees from the Blair/Brown Terror era!
Time for elected Shire Reeves, methinks.
Bearsy – All I can say is that you did well to get out when you did. I was a few years behind you, but also never regretted the decision to emigrate and only wild horses and funerals could drag me back for a day or two.. On other issues, is Boadicea any calmer now? 🙂
OZ
To be fair, Bearsy, the judiciary is now bound by these stupid European laws only because Blair adopted them into English law. France had the intelligence not to do this. So we now need Cameron to undo Blair’s work.
I’m currently in Strasbourg, so if anyone wants me to go and throw things at the ECHR or other EU buildings,speak now, ‘cos I think the rain’s going to start again soon.
Sheona, the odd humble pie in their direction would be nice!
I think the humble pie would have to be forced down some europrats’ throats, Janus, not just chucked at the windows.
OK Bearsy, I think I know what you’re getting at, but I just need to ask a couple of things if I may!
Do you mean that by saying the American ‘expert’ isn’t very welcome here Ord is defying the government? I can’t really see what else the weak spineless uniform wearer has done recently that could count as defying!! Oh please…more defiance!
Also, I thought the police were guided by the law not politicians? I know the pollies make the law and I do need a lesson in the relation between state, judiciary and legislature, but aren’t the police free from political interference in theory? Hence the objection by rank and file to elected police commissioners proposed by the government to replace the Politically independent police authorities! No copper wants to be interfered with on a daily basis by a politician!
The greatest irony of the spat between ACPO and the PM and Ms May is that it was ACPO via the Neyrood Report and Windsor review that got into bed witht the new government last year by suggesting that the government could make savings of a whole £458 million over 5 years by cutting police budgets by 25% and getting rid of terms and conditions that allowed 16,000 police officers to react within 24 hours to police the streets instead of the 3 days it took pollies to sit in a house and have a natter about it.
If the reforms had been fully completed by last week, NO extra police would have been drafted into the capital. That’s right, NONE. Because coppers would have the ‘right’ to say – “nah, can’t be bothered thanks”. They don’t have that right currently…..and bloody right tehy don’t too. They sign on the dotted line to protect the community, and they take that seriously. And they get recompensed for it rightly so. But not in the future if the reforms go thorugh in September. Worrying, isn’t it?
So ACPO and the government have fallen out. Jolly good, long may it continue. It’s an organisation that is secretive, full of masons and corrupt ‘managers’ that live in fear of making decisions. Who needs them.
Be careful what you wish for ACPO and Cameron, you may just get it.
😀
‘Strange place, the UK. It is not the country I left 20 years ago.’
Amen!
I can never reconcile the appalling spinelessness of the place these days. The whole nation appears to be afflicted by a communal attack of spina bifida!
Cuprum
Here are links giving explanations of –
One may argue about the detail exposed by those references, but essentially, Police Forces in the UK are answerable to (and paid by) The Crown – represented in practical terms by the elected Prime Minister and with authority usually delegated to the Home Secretary. I was quite surprised to see how firmly the 2002 Act has seized control for the government – this is at variance with the older situation where County Authorities were fiercely independent and only the Met could be considered a government organ.
The ACPO is a private limited company which sells its services for a profit (as OMG explains) for the benefit of its members. The boss of ACPO – Orde – only holds rank as a direct result of Part 6, Section 96, para 463 of the 2002 Act. Before then the position was just like the CEO/Chairman of any other private limited company.
I was not primarily referring to Orde’s rejection of Bratton, but since you raise it, the man is seriously out of step with what happens around the world. Australia has employed several high-ranking UK policemen over the last decade. That they have all failed and been forced home with their tails between their legs is not a judgement on their capabilities, but of the corruption and “mates” politics within our State police forces. In this context, you might find this article instructive.
My foremost criticism is Orde’s (and others) assertion that the witterings of the the EUSSR would prohibit a “zero tolerance” approach to policing because of “Human Rights”. It is not Orde’s place to tell the elected government that he will not obey it, but will answer to Europe. This is arrogance of a high order, which requires a serious slap, preferably in the wallet. 😀
😀
Aha, I see clearly what your point is! You don’t get any argument from me…..I’m no fan of ACPO or Orde – as I said, spineless excuses of uniform wearers. But…….the less that ACPO are in bed with the government, the better for the average street bobby and probably the public too.
The assertion in your last paragraph I wan’t aware of as I’ve been a little busy of late and failed in my self briefing. Quite right you are too.
But I do slightly disagree with you about being out of step with the rest of the world by inviting overseas experts (although I do agree it’s the PM’s right to appoint whosoever he wishes as an advisor) – we’ll have to disagree on that until I look into it further! We follow america in too many ways in society and look where that’s got us so far. However, I’m not in a position to argue constructively yet until I do some research!
In relation to independence of a political nature, I shall read more and get back to you.
Thanks for the links – the only one that brings me new information is the last one which I’ll read again later.
Off to the Imperial War Museum for the second time this summer with the teenagers!
Have a great day, Cuprum! 🙂