A new podcast is up today - to listen, click on the 'Podcast' link under Blog Links at right. It is a little over seven and a half minutes long (if you still see a link to last week's podcast at right, you may need to refresh your browser).
This week I have devoted the programme to two broad areas:
- several pieces of legislation recently passed by the House of Commons, namely the Bills on measures to counter terrorism and to introduce ID Cards and the Bill to severely curtail the right to smoke in England;
- The UN's condemnation of the US prison for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and its demand that the prison be closed. Whilst I support strongly these calls, I develop the idea that it is merely symbolic of wider long-term changes that are occurring in all developed democracies that will usher in an age of increasing authoritarianism for us all and which will make the tolerant democracies that many of us inhabit today seem like distant and fond memories in only a few years time. I know this is a depressing conclusion, but sadly this is exactly what I see developing now.
As ever, if you have comments on today's podcast (clarity, content, etc), do let me know.
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