DAVID CAMERON:THE BEST OF TIMES AND THE WORST OF TIMES

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only".

I wonder what Dickens would have made of this fiasco.  A prime minister within a coalition offers in his party`s election manifesto a referendum on an issue which has divided this self same  party for over a generation.  Against all the odds and to his own utter amazement he wins that election and is faced with putting his commitment to the people. Surely his best of times.  So he goes to Angela Merkel with hardly enough of an argument or plea to cause a blip in her intransigence   hoping against hope that she would offer the bare minimum of a piece of paper with her signature on it to cover his arse. Locked into what is a dream for some of his party  that is becoming his nightmare he and his cohorts  fail to frighten the electorate into submitting to his will. He wakes on June 24th assuring us he will remain as prime minister only to resign a short time later whereupon the final ignominy of this incompetent unprepared inept prime minister arrives; his worst of times, and he resigns his seat.  

Chickens are returning in droves to roost. It would appear that the crass incompetent advisors and parliamentarians who steered the referendum bill through parliament and who voted six to one for it did not even realise exactly what they were voting for. As a Brexiteer all my adult life I am dismayed that those same incompetents are now calling foul when faced with the inevitable consequences of their own fallibility. Castigating the High Court judges who have pronounced on the legal position is a disgraceful reaction to their own failings. There cannot be true democracy without a balance of law and representative government. If the Supreme Court upholds the decision it will demonstrate that this country with its unwritten constitution cannot have referendums on policy. Such a device has now been demonstrated as totally incompatible with a parliament which makes law.  

One thing is for sure: there might have been previous leaders with great expectations who could be summed up by Dickens but Cameron will never make that company. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

CPNs ARE A THIN EDGE TO A THICK WEDGE

The last six years of the prime minister`s arguably authoritarian rule at the Home Office is coming back to bite her where it hurts........in the court of public opinion.  Inquiries into child abuse and rioting Yorkshire miners, restricting immigration of foreign students, indexing foreign workers on companies` payrolls are but a few of her preferred options now in the spotlight.  Another perhaps more esoteric responsibility she had in her previous life was her involvement in setting up the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act in 2014.  Within the many subsections was the facility to establish Community Protection Notices.  Jobsworths at local councils can issue orders to an individual to do or not do something with a criminal sanction if the order is not obeyed.  The only requirement is that said official  need only to believe the conduct in question is having a detrimental effect on the area; an incredibly low burden of proof.  Indeed a householder in Rotherham was required to clean his windows.  

This restriction on simple activities with virtually no overall control or appeal system is just another such reduction in a citizen`s liberty.  A police officer can order a person to leave his/her home if there is merely a suspicion of domestic abuse within the address.  A person, usually a man, with no criminal record can be and has been ordered by police to give 24 hours notice of his intention to have sexual relations.  

We observe with dismay the reduction of human rights and freedom of expression in Turkey and Russia especially press and TV yet millionaires with sexual peccadilloes parade themselves as public benefactors when financing a system to restrict free reporting by the press.  We read today of a disgraced M.P. currently under investigation by police being elected to a select committee of the House of Commons; not any old select committee  but the Commons Justice Committee with Tory M.P.s whipped to vote in his favour.  These are but a thin edge to a very thick wedge.

From many angles political decisions are being seen and rightly so to be at best of little benefit to most people and  at worst self serving benefits for those who govern.  Such is the cause of there being a Trump and a Corbyn, two sides of the same authoritarian coin, within a single voting episode of taking their respective countries to ruin. Where are those honest and courageous enough to speak up?

SALAMI SLICING THE MAGISTRACY

An interesting answer from Lords Spokesperson (Ministry of Justice) to the question,

"To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of increasing reliance on district judges, what role they envisage for lay magistrates".  

Lord Keen of Elie The Advocate-General for Scotland, Lords Spokesperson (Ministry of Justice)

"We are committed to giving magistrates the strongest possible role in a more proportionate courts system, now and in the future. Magistrates and District Judges bring different but valuable skills to our justice system. We are working with magistrates to review their role to make sure that the justice system is making full use of their skills, and that they are dealing with more of the crimes that affect and matter most to their communities". [my underline]

With my pre disposition to the view that this government in line with the previous wishes a full time professional judiciary for all or most of the sittings at magistrates` courts I read into the reply that this is civil service speak for a further indication in the process of salami slicing before our very eyes the functions of Justices of the Peace.

CCTV! POLICE SHOULD RECRUIT EX STASI

It was widely reported that a specialist shop selling accordions was robbed recently.  Yesterday the local police force appealed for any witnesses to come forward.  All very simple in our current world. But a closer look at the reports and it is revealed that the robbery took place about three  months ago. The appeal for witnesses is based upon newly released images from a CCTV camera.  NEWLY RELEASED!  Why has it taken all this time to produce images which with the passage of time are unlikely to wake up a dormant memory. Any regular attendee at a magistrates` court trial will have experience of police failings in this regard; lawyers and J.P.s most of all.  

It is common knowledge that the U.K. is the country in the world most subject to surveillance by CCTV.  It`s a paradox that such over capacity is used so inefficiently especially by those who clamour to increase its coverage of all that we as citizens undertake as the regular activities of our normal law abiding lives.  Perhaps such overseers should hire ex members of Stasi to improve their performance or watch that superb film The Lives of Others.

GOVERNMENTS DO BUSINESS; AN OXYMORON

Governments, whatever their protestations, seem only interested in the short term. Gordon Brown`s sale of much of the country`s gold reserves at the turn of the millenium when gold was at its lowest level for twenty years is perhaps the most infamous  such decision of recent years.  The selling of supposedly underused magistrates` courts` buildings at rock bottom prices, many in prime locations in town centres, is another example although usually known only to locals in the property business.  Bow Street Magistrates` Court was not just another court.  It was perhaps, after the Old Bailey, the most famous court in the entire world. In 2005 it was sold to an Irish property developer for €25 million.  Until recently it has remained empty.  After passing through the hands of Austrian hoteliers Rudolf and Christian Ploberger it has now been acquired by a Qatar company which plans to finally convert the old monument into another luxury hotel in Central London; a hotel one might say to be fit for a prince.  The price paid was £125 million. 

The costs of so called private finance initiative initiated by the Blair Brown combo during their years of covering the cracks in our society politically,  financially, morally and spiritually are being paid for at the present time and for many years into the future.  The sale of the courts` estate is likely to prove very *profitable for most of the buyers. 

Quite simply governments have shown themselves to be hopeless at the business of business.  Heaven help us when the real negotiations begin in Brussels and I`m a lifelong brexiteer.

	*
	FOI - 91736		July 2014

Freedom of Information Request

You asked for the following information from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ):

     “(1) Which court buildings closed since May 2010 have been disposed of

(a)  on the open market and (b) through an alternative route;

(2)Which court buildings announced for closure since May 2010 have been 

      (a) disposed of and (b) not disposed of;

(3) Of those courts announced to be closing since May 2010 that have been disposed of; and how much has been generated in capital receipts from their disposal.”

Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

I can confirm that the department holds information that you have asked for, and I am pleased to provide this to you in the annex to this letter. Table 1 provides information on court buildings disposed of since May 2010 on the open market and through alternative routes and the receipts generated. Table 2 provides information on court buildings announced for closure since May 2010 that have not yet been disposed of.

 Annex

Table 1: Court buildings closed since May 2010 that have been disposed of, their disposal method and the receipt generated

Property Name	Disposal Method	Receipt
Aberaeron Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£225,000
Aberdare Magistrates' and County Court	Open Market	£275,000
Abertillery Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£81,000
Acton Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£1,171,650
Alnwick Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£20,000
Ammanford Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£90,000
Ashford Magistrates' and County Court	Open Market	£375,000
Balham Youth Court	Open Market	£2,000,000
Barking and Dagenham Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£505,000
Barry Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£250,000
Barnsley Crown Court	Open Market	£170,000
Batley & Dewsbury  Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£300,000
Blandford Forum Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£175,000
Blaydon Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£145,000
Brentford Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£650,000
Bristol Magistrates Court	Open Market	£1,800,000
Camborne Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£137,500
Cardigan Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£48,909
Carmarthen CC	Open Market	£275,000
Coalville Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£245,000
Consett County Court	Open Market	£125,000
Cromer Magistrates Court	Open Market	£325,000
Daventry Magistrates Court	Open Market	£140,000
Denbigh Magistrates Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Denbigh Town Council	£165,000
Dewsbury County Court	Open Market	£278,000
Didcot Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£400,000
Ely Magistrates' Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Ely Council	£1
Gosforth Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£378,000
Guisborough Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£275,000
Halesowen Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£315,000
Haringey Magistrates	Open Market	£10,100,000
Harrow Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£1,125,000
Harwich MC	Open Market	£352,500
Hemel Hempstead Magistrates' Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Dacorum Borough Council	£650,000
Hexham Magistrates' Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Hexham Abbey	£102,500
Ilford County Court	Open Market	£1,313,013
Ilkeston Magistrates' Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Derby College	£610,000
Ipswich Crown Curt	Open Market	£360,000
Keighley Crown Court	Open Market	£130,000
Knowsley Magistrates Court	Open Market	£250,000
Launceston Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£87,500
Liskeard Magistrates Court	Open Market	£380,000
Llandrindrod Wells Magistrates Court	Open Market	£34,400
Llwynypia Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£471,010
Market Harborough Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£291,500
Melton Mowbray MC/CC		£147,000
Neath Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£450,000
Newark Magistrates' and County Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Newark College	£405,000
Newport Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£59,000
Newport Magistrates' Court (Gold Tops)	Open Market	£380,000
Northwich Magistrates' and County Court	Open Market	£260,000
Penrith Magistrates' and County Court	Open Market	£175,000
Penzance County Court	Open Market	£230,000
Pontypool Crown Court	Open Market	£200,000
Port Talbot	Open Market	£225,000
Pwllheli Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£131,101
Rawtenstall Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£135,000
Redditch Crown Court	Open Market	£345,000
Retford Magistrates Court	Open Market	£151,000
Rugby Magistrates' and County Court	Open Market	£285,000
Salford Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£544,000
Sandbach (HMCS Offices)	Open Market	£200,000
Southport Magistrates Court	Open Market	£304,000
Sittingbourne Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£430,000
Sudbury Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£112,000
Sutton Coldfield Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£440,000
Sutton Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£2,247,000
Swaffham Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£150,000
Tamworth Magistrates' and County Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Staffordshire County Council	£437,500
Tower Bridge Magistrates Court	Open Market	£8,525,000
Thetford Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£232,500
Wareham MC	Open Market	£290,000
West Bromwich Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£165,000
Whitehaven Magistrates Court	Open Market	£200,000
Wisbech Magistrates Court	Open Market	£150,000
Witney Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£330,000
Woking Magistrates' Court	Special Purchaser Sale to Surrey County Council	£1,050,000
Woolwich Magistrates' Court	Open Market	£335,000
Grays Magistrates' Court	Lease Surrender	n/a
Llangefni Magistrates' Court	Lease Surrender	n/a
Total		£47,317,584

Note: A "special Purchaser Sale" is where the eventual buyer was identified at a very early stage in the pre-marketing process as a 'special purchaser'. 

Table 2: Court buildings announced for closure since May 2010 that have not yet been disposed of

Property Name	Current Position
Bournemouth Magistrates Court	Not yet on the market
Bishop Auckland Magistrates & County Court	Under Offer
Bracknell Magistrates Court	Not yet on the market
Bridgeport Magistrates' Court	Under Offer
Bridgwater Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Burton-upon-Trent County Court	On the Market
Cirencester Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Coleford Magistrates’ Court	Not yet on the market
Dorking Magistrates' Court	Contract Exchanged
Epping Magistrates’ Court	Under Offer
Flint Magistrates' Court	Not yet on the market
Frome Magistrates' Court	Contract Exchanged
Goole Magistrates' Court	On the Market
Haywards Heath Magistrates' Court	Contract Exchanged
Honiton Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Houghton Le Spring Magistrates' Court	Under Offer
Houghton Le Spring The Ville	On the Market
Keighley Magistrates' Court	On the Market
Lewes Magistrates’ Court	Contract Exchanged
Lyndhurst Magistrates’ Court	Not yet on the market
Market Drayton Magistrates' Court	On the Market
Oswestry Magistrates' Court & County Court	Not yet on the market
Pontefract Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Rochdale Magistrates’ Court	Contract Exchanged
Sherbourne Magistrates' Court	On the Market
Selby Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Stoke-on-Trent Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Totnes Magistrates’ Court	On the Market
Towcester Magistrates' Court	Not yet on the Market
Wantage Magistrates Court	Contract Exchanged
Wimborne Magistrates' Court	Under Offer
Witham Magistrates Court	Under Offer
Weston Super Mare Magistrates Court	Not yet on the market