In episode 7 of Jen’s Green Jam I interview fellow peer Chris Holmes, winner of 9 Gold medals! We talk about his part in bringing us the incredibly successful 2012 London Paralympics plus why diversity in the workplace is important and how we can help achieve it.
Category: Civil liberties
Government, the police and intelligence services are too easily given sweeping powers that they too often abuse
Jenny works with campaigners to defend our civil liberties
Read on for her latest posts on this topic
Latest podcast now available
Ending the war on drugs and what happens next, with ex-undercover officer Neil Woods – listen here
Neil has authored two fascinating books about his experiences as an undercover cop turned whistle blower and he joins me to give us his insights on the war against drugs and explain: how drugs money has caused escalating violence on the streets; why younger children are being used; how drugs money supports others forms of crime and leads to endemic corruption in our police force. Continue reading “Latest podcast now available”
Message to ‘Make Votes Matter’ mass lobby of Parliament
You are playing an essential role in our parliamentary democracy, in making your voices heard. I’m hopeful that your MPs will listen and start to think hard about the fact that our voting system is completely broken.
Continue reading “Message to ‘Make Votes Matter’ mass lobby of Parliament”
Stansted 15 must be freed
We urgently need new legislation to exempt those taking part in non-violent direct action from all the anti-terrorism legislation that has been passed in previous years. That legislation was not (we hope) designed to throw peaceful protestors into prison, but it is now being used to jail fifteen citizens whose ‘crime’ was to stand in the way of deporting people, some of whom have subsequently won the right to remain. Continue reading “Stansted 15 must be freed”
A Green win for journalistic freedoms
The Government has adopted one of my amendments to the Counter Terrorism Bill as its own. The change will help to guarantee the rights of journalists and academics to view material and to do their job. Continue reading “A Green win for journalistic freedoms”
Next podcast out soon!
Out in a few days will be Episode 5 ‘The Drugs War’ with ex undercover officer Neil Woods. Neil has authored two fascinating books about his experiences as an undercover cop turned whistle blower. Neil joins me to give us his insights on the war against drugs and explain how drugs money has caused endemic corruption in our police force.
Episode 6, out in December, will be ‘The Bogus War on Gangs’ with Stafford Scott. Stafford was a co-founder of the Broadwater Farm Defence Campaign in 1985, and is now a consultant on racial equality and community engagement. He tweets as @StaffordScott and we can look forward to his book!
Previous episodes here
Crowdfunder to support Jenny’s work
Unlike MPs, who receive state funding, members of the House of Lords don’t receive any financial support to employ staff or fund office costs.
As the only Green in the House of Lords, covering as many issues as I can, I need staff to help me with research and press work. I have a small, part time team (equivalent to one full time person) who are paid for from donations from people like you. Continue reading “Crowdfunder to support Jenny’s work”
My legal action on Automated Facial Recognition
Big Brother Watch and myself, have launched a legal action against the Met Police and the Home Office regarding the unregulated use of Facial Reognition Technology. Continue reading “My legal action on Automated Facial Recognition”
Child spies doing police work on: terrorism, gang violence and sexual exploitation
I was shocked to learn this week that the police and other public authorities are legally allowed to use children as spies. I only found out because the Government wants to change the rules, so that rather than authorising a child to spy for only one month at a time, they can be authorised for a whole four months.
I want to state this very clearly, because most people won’t know: children are being used by the State to infiltrate criminal groups and do dangerous police work. Continue reading “Child spies doing police work on: terrorism, gang violence and sexual exploitation”
The police are making political choices about domestic extremism
Why are the police making political choices about who is and is not an extremist? The Hunt Saboteurs Association was founded in 1963 and advocating non-violent tactics, which has been put in a police document alongside such groups as Boko Haram, Taliban, National Action and Combat 18. This follows some regional police services including anti-fracking protestors in their Prevent material for schools and colleges. I can understand the argument that it is better for professional police officers to make specific decisions about organisations, rather than politicians via the Home Office, but that logic only holds true if the criteria are clear and the reasoning explained. Continue reading “The police are making political choices about domestic extremism”
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb 