Wednesday, October 22, 2008

On this day

in 1974, a bomb exploded in a London restaurant near to where opposition leader Edward Heath was dining. Three members of staff were injured

and

1975, the 'Guildford Four' were sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of planting IRA bombs in pubs in Guildford and Woolwich. Fifteen years later they had their convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal, following an extensive inquiry into the original police investigation.

Funnily enough I don't remember calls for 42 days detention* of the creation of a national database.


*Yes I know it hasn't been passed, but it hasn't gone away and their is no indication that our leaders are any less authoritarian for having to drop it

2 comments:

Mark Wadsworth said...

"or" not "of", but we did have "internment" at the time, a thoroughly sh1t idea, if memory serves.

Simon Fawthrop said...

Good point - internment ended December 1975 and yes, implementing it was probably the worst strategic decision of the "troubles".

So rather than impose even more draconian measures the Govt of the day realised a mistake and and removed one.