English Police and the August Riots

The tactics employed by the police, during the riots that swept England in August 2011 have come in for much criticism, from various study reports. 

Today it was suggested that the police should have used water cannon and rubber bullets/baton rounds and even possibly live ammunition. 

Like many I was horrified at the lawlessness that was allowed to occur and at the inaction of the police. 

I don't really need long-winded studies to tell me that by standing back and doing nothing the police encouraged the rioters who quickly came to the conclusion that their actions would have no consequences and the benefit of cheap purloined goods.

The robust sentencing that was practised, disabused the rioters of the latter but the hands-off approach of the police still hangs as a likely outcome for any future disturbances unless the police and the government state, in the strongest possible terms, that should any such outbreaks occur, we will deal with them very severely.

That is, the police will use water cannon (maybe with an indelible dye?) and will use baton rounds and if required will use firearms to protect life.

The police need to know that such use will not then be subject to 20:20 hindsight review because some poor rioter got injured.  If you are on the streets during a riot, the chances are you are part of that riot and I make no apologies to say that if you are there and you get hurt - tough!

Incidentally, my conspiratorial mind wonders if the police stood back to try and send a message to the Government along the lines of ' this is why you need us and don't even think about trying to reform us because this could happen again'.

Comments?

Deport immediately

Can anyone tell me why, when a judge sentences a non-UK citizen to jail, to be followed by immediate deportation, the individual isn't put on a plane, an hour so or after the sentence ends.  Or even an hour or two just before?

We hear stories of people that the UK Government are trying to deport offending and re-offending and all the while the machinery of 'justice' groans slowly on.

During the August riots, courts sat for longer hours and swiftly meted out punishments.

Here is an idea: 
Have the immigration/deportation tribunals sit in one room and then the appeals tribunal sit in the next and if someone decides to appeal, then move straight from the first to the second - no 6 month or a year's delay, usually spent offending or on the dole, would be necessary.

And a further idea:
Have these tribunals sit longer and more often.  At least until the back-log is cleared.

And finally:
Stop the legal gravy train.  Don't allow anyone convicted of an offence to have their deportation fight, funded by legal aid.  Solicitors and Barristers just love our system of justice, where they can stick their noses into the public trough time and again.  So Legal Aid only for UK Citizens.

Summary
Speed up the process and stop funding re-offending. 

Why criticise Cameron?

So now David Cameron is being criticised for saying we should follow Christian values in the UK and address the 'moral collapse of the country'.

Exactly what is wrong with what he said.

He didn't say you must be Christian.
He didn't say you must have a religion.

He did say, as quoted on the BBC website:

"We are a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so," 


"Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have another faith - or no faith - is somehow wrong.
"I know and fully respect that many people in this country do not have a religion."

 "But what I am saying is that the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today."

 Why would someone be offended because David Cameron spoke of encouraging people to stand-up for decent moral values?

Think back to last August. 
Don't you wish that more people had displayed decent moral values? 
Don't you wish more people had followed the examples of the Asian community in Birmingham ?  They paid a very high price for doing the right thing and then displayed a thoroughly decent and highly moral response when three of their loved ones were mown down.