Fightback Dave has thrown his liberal streak out of the window as he struggles to redeem his reputation. Gone is the pledge to cut back CCTV, and then there was this particularly chilling gem:

“Mr Speaker, everyone watching these horrific actions will be stuck by how they were organised via social media. Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence we need to stop them. So we are working with the Police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality. I have also asked the police if they need any other new powers.”

Warsi flagged up Blackberry Messenger in particular on the Daily Politics. A bit like blaming the Gordon Riots on carrier pigeons…

In 2010 the Wall Street Journal reported:

BlackBerry was operating “beyond the jurisdiction of national legislation,” the U.A.E.’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said in a statement issued on Sunday. “As a result of how BlackBerry data is managed and stored, in their current form, Certain BlackBerry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions.” The U.A.E. was working to resolve “these critical issues with the objective of finding a solution that safeguards our consumers and operates within the boundaries of U.A.E. law.”

Judge a man by the company he keeps…