Police State Britain - ID Card campaigner on file for life

Of course Mark Wallace hasn't broken any law and he hasn't been charged with anything. Nevertheless under the Terrorism Act 2000 our increasingly dictatorial government and its agents the police will keep his details on file indefinitely. Yes, under the Act the police have wide powers to designate any area they decide may be targeted by terrorists and once this designation has been authorised by the Home Office the police have extensive powers to stop and search people at random. And then to keep the stop-and-search records indefinitely and any videos they take (and they did videotape Mr Wallace as well) for seven years.

Mr Wallace was stopped outside the Labour Party conference in Brighton last September whilst collecting signatures for a petition against the introduction of ID Cards. The government and the police are naturally not very amused that someone should brazenly, but even in today's Britian perfecctly peacefully and legally, solicit supporters in opposition to legislation they want to introduce. But we have now reached a stage in this country where legislation is being used not simply for the ostensible purpose for which it was introduced, to reduce the risk of terrorist acts being carried out in this country (something most people, me included, are generally in favour of), but to intimidate and potentially blight the futures of people who diasgree with its ideas for new laws, but who are in no way acting illegally.