it is significant that this measure is connected with the fuel protests of september, and represents perhaps the missing factor in the equation, which i could not deduce directly at the time. whilst the platform of the action was questionable, i felt that our (IMC readers) failure to support it and see it through would be even worse.
it explains the odd paralysis that the government exhibited in the face of the relatively small blockades, and also what straw was seeking to set up with his falange cabinet.

it looks like company directors will now be able to keep their addresses secret

: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/UK/Science/2001-02/secret040201.shtml

FT 5/02/01:
For example, MoD police will be able to intervene in incidents outside defence sites without the consent of the local police force in order to save lives or minimise injuries. With the consent of the police force, the MoD police will be able to intervene in other incidents outside military bases.

But MoD officers have been nervous about intervening in incidents outside defence sites because of uncertainty about their jurisdiction. The armed forces bill seeks to remove the uncertainty by clarifying the circumstances in which the MoD police can step in.

 http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/articles.html?id=010104001356&query=police


GUARDIAN 4/02/01:Beware the Mod Plod
The Armed Forces Bill currently gliding through Parliament modestly proposes that the 3,500 officers in the Ministry of Defence Police - Mod Plod to its many detractors - should be free to search and arrest any citizen, and to break whatever strikes, fuel protests and anti-nuclear demonstrations upset Ministers.

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,433201,00.html

It would seem that the powers that be are trying their hardest to provoke mass rebelion. Why else such a concerted and unrelenting effort at repression?

The antidote - never stray from NON-VIOLENT opposition to all that is wrong with our governments and their owners. Their own evils (DU on downwards) will destroy them, if only we remain patient.

Remember:-

'You assist an evil system most effectively by obeying its orders and decrees. An evil system never deserves such allegiance. Allegiance to it means partaking of the evil. A good person will resist an evil system with his or her whole soul.' - Mahatma Gandhi

and

'BE the change you want to see in the world' - Mahatma Gandhi

A fuel blockade like we experienced couldn't have come about without the complicity of the Oil companies, it wasn't even violent, but it has created the desired effect the introduction of a totalitarian military regime. What has justified the introduction of these Draconian crack-downs? A few middle-aged women in woolly hats protesting against cruelty to animals? A couple of teenage kids spraying graffiti. Yes, the citizens are definately out of control, bring back the guillotine (I hear them say) 'The rule of Law' must be obeyed, let the terror begin!