I read the news today oh boy! Page 190

Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols praised the new coalition Government for its "fresh attitude" while simultaneously accusing the previous government of "dangerous" interfering over religion and belief.

Catholic and other church leaders have been angered by equality legislation which requires them not to discriminate against gay people, in particular - demanding opt-outs and exemptions instead.

/.../
what seems to have particularly spurred Archbishop Nichols' anger is the decision of the Blair government that Catholic-supported adoption agencies should not be able to sidestep equal treatment for gay couples, even though they were given an additional period to comply with new rules.

Catholic leaders threatened to close the agencies rather than follow the law

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12760

Quote: sootyj @ August 2 2010, 7:16 AM BST

How about free flambards and mispelled placards for everyone unemployed over 12 months? But yes it stinks. Driving paedophiles underground and forcing them to only associate with each other? Has DaveyC just seen the A team movie and decided he wants an elite mercenary team of kiddy fiddlers? And what about violent offenders, burglars, people who make fun of chubby people. I want to know where they all live.

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We might as well let vigilantes do everything since impending cuts are going to render the police irrelevent.

Quote: zooo @ July 30 2010, 8:05 PM BST

Ha, well no, it's not worth that much money, but that's true about a lot of art.

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Holt, who goes there?

Quote: chipolata @ August 2 2010, 8:24 AM BST

We might as well let vigilantes do everything since impending cuts are going to render the police irrelevent.

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From what I've seen, your police have been sliding toward irrelevancy for quite some time now.

Quote: DaButt @ August 2 2010, 2:56 PM BST

From what I've seen, your police have been sliding toward irrelevancy for quite some time now.

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That's a good thing, ain't it, DaButt? Small government, eh? Eh?

Fewer derrieres in chairs and more feet on the streets. Never skimp on the size of your military or police force. That said, I was talking about the fact that your cops seem more interested in scolding than actual police work. Criminals, like most predatory animals, are good at sensing weakness and I don't think your cops are doing a very good job of keeping them in line. Bust some heads!

Quote: DaButt @ August 2 2010, 2:56 PM BST

From what I've seen, your police have been sliding toward irrelevancy for quite some time now.

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Crime rates keep dropping. The sad thing about ASBOs is they're yet another succesful Labor iniative being added to the bonfire of the insanities.

Quote: sootyj @ August 2 2010, 4:25 PM BST

Crime rates keep dropping.

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Is it an actual, palpable reduction in crimes that is readily apparent to every British citizen, or is it a matter of changing the way crimes are reported, not responding to minor complaints, citizen apathy about reporting crimes because the cops never do anything, etc?

Quote: sootyj @ August 2 2010, 4:25 PM BST

Crime rates keep dropping. The sad thing about ASBOs is they're yet another succesful Labor iniative being added to the bonfire of the insanities.

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Anti-social behaviour is still as rampant as ever. And getting an ASBO takes at least eight months of evidence gathering, minimum.

Quote: sootyj @ August 2 2010, 4:25 PM BST

The sad thing about ASBOs is they're yet another succesful Labor iniative being added to the bonfire of the insanities.

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Get that in a sketch somewhere Soots!

The Brazilian state was notorious for its death squads, so-called rogue police who 'cleaned up' the streets in a brutal reign of terror. Couldn't we have a death squad? Anti-social behaviour rates would plummet.

Quote: Nogget @ August 2 2010, 6:13 PM BST

The Brazilian state was notorious for its death squads, so-called rogue police who 'cleaned up' the streets in a brutal reign of terror. Couldn't we have a death squad? Anti-social behaviour rates would plummet.

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You're being flippant, but I'd happily live in a state where young people who drop litter, hang aroung in gangs or swear in public are shot.

Quote: chipolata @ August 2 2010, 6:15 PM BST

You're being flippant, but I'd happily live in a state where young people who drop litter, hang aroung in gangs or swear in public are shot.

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Trouble is, the police do tend to get it wrong quite a lot, see link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_use_of_firearms_in_the_United_Kingdom#Notable_incidents

Quote: Nogget @ August 2 2010, 6:20 PM BST

Trouble is, the police do tend to get it wrong quite a lot, see link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_use_of_firearms_in_the_United_Kingdom#Notable_incidents

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Meh. Can't make an omelete without breaking some eggs.

Quote: chipolata @ August 2 2010, 6:15 PM BST

You're being flippant, but I'd happily live in a state where young people who drop litter, hang aroung in gangs or swear in public are shot.

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What about old people who drop litter?