MetaFilter posts tagged with uk and government

This will not Orwell.

memebake — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:55:42 -0800

The Daily Express reports on a UK Government Announcement to expand the use of Family Intervention Projects. However, the Daily Express exaggerates the report somewhat, the article stating (apparently wildly incorrectly) that the UK Government "plans to put 20,000 problem families under 24-hour CCTV supervision in their own homes". Other reports in the UK press make no mention of CCTV. Nonetheless, the alarmist Express article is widely picked up and discussed on the internet, pushing many people past 10 on the Orwellometer. Then Mefite FfejL uses Twitter to ask Ed Balls, the minister responsible, if the CCTV aspect of the Express article is accurate. No, Jeff, it is complete nonsense is Ed Balls' reply. See also the original government accouncement and descriptions of Family Intervention Projects, which are already running in many parts of the UK. Apparently, in very extreme cases families may be moved from their (often state funded) homes to 'core residential units' for 24 hour support and supervision, but this is very different from the Express report of the government planning to put "20,000 problem families under 24-hour CCTV supervision" For an example of the situations the initiative is supposed to tackle, "The Addison family case study" in this PDF is interesting reading:

...Numerous agencies were trying to engage with Christine and her family. At the time of the project’s involvement there were around 20 agencies including the youth offending team, community mental health team, social services, education welfare officers, police, anti-social behaviour team, housing services, Connexions service, probation service, debt advice service, educational psychologist, etc. Christine and her children neither kept appointments with these professionals nor opened the door when they came to the house ... Christine and her family were costing services well in excess of £250,000 per year ...

Looking beyond the media curfuffle, there is an interesting question at the heart of this: When 'problem families' are ruining their own childrens prospects and making life miserable for the many people that may live near them, what is the correct response for a state to make?

Airstrip One

plexi — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:55:10 -0800

London police are now deleting tourists' photos because "photographing anything to do with transport is strictly forbidden."

The House will now consider the Flags for Orphans bill

TheDonF — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:22:30 -0800

UK MPs trying to block publishing their expenses - they're voting on Thursday to overturn last year's High Court ruling. TheyWorkForYou is emailing members to let them know that the UK government buried the news of this vote amongst last week's Heathrow runway anouncement. They are trying to reverse the 16 May 2008 High Court decision that MPs' expenses must, under the Freedom Of Information Act, be made public. What can you do about this mixture of Jo Moore and Krusty? TheyWorkForYou is encouraging people to write to their local MP to ask them to vote against the bill, join the obligatory Facebook group or use their MySociety site to contact local media outlets.

What does the future hold?

athenian — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:44:56 -0800

The Cabinet Office in the UK has published "Future Strategic Challenges for Britain" [full pdf, summary pdf, website], a 180-page document which summarises current futures thinking in the UK Government, with a horizon of about 20 years. It includes predictions on big issues such as democratic participation, foreign affairs, climate change, family life and public services.

Virtual tour of 10 Downing Street

goodnewsfortheinsane — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 05:32:57 -0800

Sadly, you will never be important enough to be invited to 10 Downing Street. So take a virtual tour instead.

The Porter-Blair debate.

Neiltupper — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 22:08:06 -0800

Henry Porter is the British Editor of Vanity Fair. In the current issue he attacks what he describes as "[Tony] Blair's campaign against rights contained in the Rule of Law". The article follows a series of columns for The Observer and an extraordinary exchange of email between the two men, and has resonance in probably all countries in the Western world.

A House full of insults: an informal look at the history of parliamentary put-downs

nthdegx — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 01:00:31 -0800

A House full of insults is an informal look at the history of parliamentary put-downs and their inconsistent consequences in Britain's House of Commons.

Rock the vote

Mwongozi — Thu, 14 Apr 2005 11:44:52 -0800

In 21 days the UK will be holding a general election, and people around the country will be voting for the next government. Can't choose between the different parties? Who should you vote for?

The price of greatness is responsibility.

allan — Fri, 17 Dec 2004 10:12:16 -0800

"There is no excuse for superior authority not choosing the most suitable agents for particular duties, and not removing unsuitable agents from particular duties." With all the talk of empires and resignations, a reflection to history turns up a remarkable story about an already remarkable man:

A tense time in British India came to a head when General Reginald Dyer's brigade opened fire on an unarmed crowd assembled in Amritsar with machine guns, killing 379 and wounding over 1500. Command wanted to relieve him of duty, but patriotic (and imperialist) fervor at home led to a parliamentary debate which was expected to repudiate this decision and honor him. Enter War Secretary Winston Churchill who defended the Government so eloquently that the minds and hearts of the entire deliberative body were turned.

Opening up government, because they're too slow to do it themselves

grahamspankee — Fri, 10 Dec 2004 08:24:08 -0800

Hacking open democracy. First came FaxYourMP, so technophobe MPs could be easily contacted by the 'net generation. Next were PublicWhip, DowningStreetSays and TheyWorkForYou (previously discussed here and here) to help voters keep tabs on what their elected representatives get up to in office. Coming soon are FaxYourRepresentative/WriteToThem, NotApathetic and YourConstituencyMailingList. (MI).

Order! Order!! Order!!!

cbrody — Mon, 07 Jun 2004 04:50:46 -0800

They Work For You was launched at yesterday's NotCon '04 by the people who brought you Fax Your MP. It makes Hansard accessible, via search facilities (by MP or by topic), with each individual speech presented as a separate, linkable entry. Get an RSS feed of your own MP's speeches, hold them to account over their special interests, but most of all, don't forget to vote this week!

Hutton Inquiry Out

Blue Stone — Wed, 28 Jan 2004 07:25:59 -0800

The Hutton Inquiry has concluded its investigation. It unanimously vindicates the British Government, castigates the BBC for lying and criticising the Government's honour, and mildly criticises some aspects of the Intelligence services and Dr. David Kelly himself.
An accessible PDF to HTML version of the Hutton website - The Guardian's Hutton site - The BBC's Hutton site - Google News UK.

The HRE was neither holy nor roman, talk amongst yourselves (about GMOs)

turbodog — Mon, 21 Jul 2003 14:10:26 -0800

Today the British government released a major report on the safety of genetically modified foods. According to New Scientist, "existing genetically modified crops and foods pose a 'very low' risk to human health and are 'very unlikely' to rampage through the British countryside", but others disagree.

goethean — Mon, 26 Aug 2002 20:00:39 -0800

Lobsters, caviar and brandy for MPs at summit on starvation. Is this really a scandal? Or typical tabloid pabulum? Yes, it is hypocritical, but is it worse than rich people who don't claim to give a damn about the poor eating caviar and swilling champagne? Matt thinks it's "sick".

liam — Tue, 30 Jul 2002 06:37:03 -0800

The UK Parliament Site gets a new design, with live webcasting. They want it better to serve "grazers" as well as "hunters". For comparison, the US House and Senate, and the French Assembly and Senate.

aaron — Tue, 17 Apr 2001 22:47:45 -0800

"Big government is good for you, and we'll spare no expense making sure you know it!" New figures show the largest advertiser in the UK is now the British government, with the government blowing about 2 1/2 times as much on ads per year as it did before before Labour's rise to power. This is far more than than any other country's government spends. Dissemination of truly important information, or taxpayer-funded plugs for Labour?

nico — Thu, 18 Jan 2001 04:48:21 -0800

UK Govt. votes to ban hunting in England and Wales. Browsing the web last night, several national polls were showing that more of the British Public were against a ban than in favour. Will the MPs who turned up to vote but not to debate (not very democratic?) live to regret their decision as the debate turns from animal welfare to civil rights?