[KnowItAll]

Is it all going mad?

I would personally have not expected this from Gordon Brown - Tony Blair may be.

Link to Dailymail

The information, taken when a ticket is bought, will be shared among police, customs, immigration and the security services for at least 24 hours before a journey is due to take place.

Anybody about whom the authorities are dubious can be turned away when they arrive at the airport or station with their baggage.

Those with outstanding court fines, such as a speeding penalty, could also be barred from leaving the country, even if they pose no security risk.

The information required under the "e-borders" system was revealed as Gordon Brown announced plans to tighten security at shopping centres, airports and ports.

This could mean additional screening of baggage and passenger searches, with resulting delays for travellers.

The e-borders scheme is expected to cost at least £1.2billion over the next decade.

Travel companies, which will run up a bill of £20million a year compiling the information, will pass on the cost to customers via ticket prices, and the Government is considering introducing its own charge on travellers to recoup costs.

All being done by Raytheon.

And... its all ironic considering I just spent a few hours watching a documentary on how primary schools were struggling to bring their students to basic literacy levels.

[kostas]

Let's see for how much longer 2 plus 2 will equal 4..

[shilo507]

Fortress Britain - that's a good one!

Only this week the UK Government revealed that thousands of illegal migrants were cleared to work in the security industry - some in Whitehall itself. What a mess.

Personally, I am so glad I no longer live in the UK. Even less reason to even visit the old country now then.

Sometimes I am not sure if I am an expatriate or an ex-patriot. Reverse culture shock? You bet!

[JBest]

Originally Posted by shilo507

Fortress Britain - that's a good one!

Only this week the UK Government revealed that thousands of illegal migrants were cleared to work in the security industry - some in Whitehall itself. What a mess.

Agreed. Now if they could only enforce the laws they have before creating new ones, we might all be better off.

[Pekkerhead]

I agree with shilo507 - you know, this is just one of the many reasons I left the UK. I feckin' hate the place. I cannot think of a single redeeming feature about the UK (other than it is 6,000 miles away).

[shilo507]

Originally Posted by JBest

Agreed. Now if they could only enforce the laws they have before creating new ones, we might all be better off.

And why they are at it why not deport the 1000s of terrorists and Al-Qaeda sympathisers allegedly in the UK having been given asylum and spongeing off the British taxpayer. However, even that does not help with the home-grown sympathisers who have British passports.

My detachment to the UK grows stronger with every day and I become ever more bemused at the news stories. No wonder so many Brits are leaving the UK.

[shilo507]

Originally Posted by Pekkerhead

I agree with shilo507 - you know, this is just one of the many reasons I left the UK. I feckin' hate the place. I cannot think of a single redeeming feature about the UK (other than it is 6,000 miles away).

I cannot see myself ever returning to the UK to live - even in a wooden box. If my contract ends and I have to leave HK I'm afraid I'll just have to find a PR to marry. But if I have to leave HK and Asia I think I would rather go and live in France, Spain or Italy. What the Hell has happened to the UK? Admittedly, the UK was probably just as glad to get shot of me as I was to get out but it has really gone to the dogs.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by JBest

Agreed. Now if they could only enforce the laws they have before creating new ones, we might all be better off.

The US has the same problem. I think, because politicians can't actually enforce anything, they feel like they are doing something when they pass laws. Then they can go home and brag to the voters how they voted for this, that and the other thing.
And so much better if you can "one up" the opposition. I wonder how much of that law KIA started with is a product of the Tories saying, "Let's collect some info at the gate, like name and id number" and then Labor, not wishing to appear weak on security, adds 5 more pieces of info to take down and shares the info with the cops followed by the Tories adding another layer and so on until you have the result.

[Crocodile]

In reality, some sort of observation/spying has been happening for years (see: Echelon), but there has definitely been a ramp up in the past six or so years. The UK, London in particular, has had an increase in video and computer surveillance. Congestion cameras, speed cameras, credit card fraud detectors, etc.
So, where will you be in 1984?

[KnowItAll]

>> So, where will you be in 1984?

In my trusty delorean.