That lovely man Mandy is really taking the pish now. He wants the power to make up laws without parliamentary debate.

from http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/19...aked-uk-g.html

Secretary of State Peter Mandelson is planning to introduce changes to the Digital Economy Bill now under debate in Parliament. These changes will give the Secretary of State (Mandelson -- or his successor in the next government) the power to make "secondary legislation" (legislation that is passed without debate) to amend the provisions of Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (198.

What that means is that an unelected official would have the power to do anything without Parliamentary oversight or debate, provided it was done in the name of protecting copyright. Mandelson elaborates on this, giving three reasons for his proposal:

1. The Secretary of State would get the power to create new remedies for online infringements (for example, he could create jail terms for file-sharing, or create a "three-strikes" plan that costs entire families their internet access if any member stands accused of infringement)

2. The Secretary of State would get the power to create procedures to "confer rights" for the purposes of protecting rightsholders from online infringement. (for example, record labels and movie studios can be given investigative and enforcement powers that allow them to compel ISPs, libraries, companies and schools to turn over personal information about Internet users, and to order those companies to disconnect users, remove websites, block URLs, etc)

3. The Secretary of State would get the power to "impose such duties, powers or functions on any person as may be specified in connection with facilitating online infringement" (for example, ISPs could be forced to spy on their users, or to have copyright lawyers examine every piece of user-generated content before it goes live; also, copyright "militias" can be formed with the power to police copyright on the web)

this unelected twunt is really getting on my moobs

A source close to the British Labour Government has just given me reliable information about the most radical copyright proposal I've ever seen.

This might be true and if it is then it is wrong - but I somehow doubt it.


Of course, anyone wanting to bring this in would have to get it through the House of Lords first. Who wants to bet that it would be pushed back to the Commons to be reconsidered.

One more, politicians proving they don't have a fvcking clue how the internet actually works.

Originally Posted by Whet

A source close to the British Labour Government has just given me reliable information about the most radical copyright proposal I've ever seen.

This might be true and if it is then it is wrong - but I somehow doubt it.


Of course, anyone wanting to bring this in would have to get it through the House of Lords first. Who wants to bet that it would be pushed back to the Commons to be reconsidered.

Except that Mandleson would invoke the Parliament Act before you could say "Evil, conniving, smarmy, supercilious skinny little shit".

Look on the bright side guys - going by his resignations, he's already had two strikes.

Originally Posted by FORMER_FYRDMAN

Look on the bright side guys - going by his resignations, he's already had two strikes.

Don'tbe silly - Laws don't appy to him

Have the words "Enabling Act 1933" come into anyone else's head or is it just me?

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Have the words "Enabling Act 1933" come into anyone else's head or is it just me?

Without fear of contradiction, just you. Please elucidate

Originally Posted by Bravo_Zulu

Have the words "Enabling Act 1933" come into anyone else's head or is it just me?

As in Hitler's rise?

Personally I reckon the entertainment industry is paying him a massive wedge to introduce these laws. Why else would he fight so hard to get them through?