The latest sighting of Chinese spy balloons is closer to home than some might expect. Campaign group Big Brother Watch flew spoof spy balloons over Parliament Square this morning, to raise awareness of the “widespread, intrusive and panoptic use of surveillance cameras in the UK made by Chinese state-owned companies”. The group was joined by activists from Free Tibet and Stop Uyghur Genocide. Despite a mild breeze, which made the balloons somewhat unruly, the event got off to a flying start.
Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael popped over to support the campaign – he’s just one of the 67 parliamentarians who have signed up to Big Brother Watch‘s pledge to ban Chinese state-owned surveillance cameras. Watch this space.
Though, the Government has so far failed to act – they even overturned a cross-party amendment to the Procurement Bill which would have put a timeline on the removal of surveillance tech companies linked to crimes against humanity from the government supply chain. Silkie Carlo, Director of Big Brother Watch said:
“This digital asbestos raises serious security and privacy risks for millions of people in Britain, with the majority of public authorities’ CCTV cameras made by Chinese state-owned firms. By spending millions on Chinese-made tech to build a surveillance state at home, the UK government is indirectly supporting China’s crimes against humanity and ethnic persecution overseas.”
That’ll go down like a lead balloon in Whitehall.
Co-conspirators can find a petition calling on a UK ban on Chinese surveillance tech here.
Alistair Carmichael, who told voters he knew nothing of the infamous ‘Sturgeon memo’ before admitting he was actually responsible for leaking it, has been cleared by an election court. So no by-election in Orkney and Shetland despite the massive porkie. At least the Cybernats are handling it with their usual charm and good grace…
We should make Carmichael Day annual & to celebrate politicians can tell the press a stonking lie.Would become like spotting the April Fool.
— Mhairi Hunter (@MhairiHunter) December 9, 2015
Alistair #Carmichael gets off. What a glorious country to live in. "GOD SAVE OUR GRACIOUS QUEEN ETC" #CarmichaelMustGo
— Vikings For Yes (@VikingsForYes) December 9, 2015
I swear if Carmichael fell out of a window he'd fall up ! haunted lying sleekit apology for a man that he is. #CarmichaelMustGo
— Keith R (@TheHornyHaggis) December 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/bigstevie1967/status/674536044298149889
Here's a thought. Does #carmichael case clear the way for #chilcotinquiry now? Blair lied, but it's cool, y'know. #carmichaelmustgo
— keith jones (@keithhaggis) December 9, 2015
Couple of years time Carmichael will be sitting in the House of Lords, pocketing £300 a day. Proud and esteemed member of the establishment.
— Colin (@_Mozza_) December 9, 2015
No trip to sunny Shetland for Lobby hacks next year either…
Ex-LibDem deputy leader Malcolm Bruce hasn’t done Alistair Carmichael any favours with his intervention on the Today programme this morning, suggesting the people of Orkney and Shetland should forgive him because all politicians lie:
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Bruce: “If you’re telling me that every MP who hasn’t quite told the truth, or even told a brazen lie [should go], including cabinet ministers, including prime ministers, we’d clear out the House of Commons very fast.”
BBC: “You’re saying that lying in public life is widespread?”
Bruce: “No. Well, yes. I think the answer is lots of people have told lies and you know that to be perfectly true.”
Well that makes it okay then…
Ousted ex-LibDem Scotland Secretary Alistair Carmichael has confessed it was him who leaked the infamous Nicola Sturgeon memo claiming she wanted the Tories to win the election.
The former Scottish Secretary admits all in a statement:
“I had not seen the document before it was published in the Daily Telegraph, however I was aware of its content and agreed that my special adviser should make it public.
I should not have agreed this. It was an error of judgement which I regret.
I accept full responsibility for the publication of the document.
I have written today to the First Minister and to the French Ambassador to apologise to them both.
Had I still been a Government Minister I would have considered this to be a matter that required my resignation. I have therefore informed the Cabinet Secretary that I will decline my ministerial severance payment.”
Here is Carmichael denying it was him at the time, claiming “The first I heard of this was when I received a phone call from a journalist”:
This is what @acarmichaelmp said when asked if he knew who had leaked the #FrenchGate memo. #nikileakshttps://t.co/vo9ZRty5TW
— Ross Colquhoun (@rosscolquhoun) May 22, 2015
Now we know he was telling a great big whopper.
