Theme : security
- Better a bad ballot than no ballot? Here at Demos we talk a lot about everyday democracy, the idea that people should have their say, not just in elections, but also in the fabric of their day to day lives.But what about everyday democracy for people who don't have any democracy at all? from : faizalfarook 28th July 2008
- Metrostrategy Yesterday I spoke to 120 senior officers at the Australian Command Staff College on national security. After the main Q&A session the topic of conversation moved onto new theatres of conflict. Someone suggested that the armed forces would have to focus more on cities, as a result of increasing urbanisation globally. Urban warfare is an area I am not very familiar with. Fortunately Michael Evans, a fellow at the Australian Defence College has just written an excellent pamphlet on the subject - City without Joy. from : charlieedwards 26th July 2008
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Podcast: Wicked Jihad
A new podcast. Counter terrorism policy in Western Europe is increasingly about preventing violent extremism before it arises, by lessening the appeal of groups like al-Qaeda. Most work tends to focus on the structural factors such as foriegn policy, societal discrimination, and a lack of local leadership.
This week, Jamie Bartlett explains why we need to understand what the appeal of al-Qaeda might be, from the sense of adventure and feelings of personal agency through to street credibility.
You can subscribe to our podcasts here. from : petebradwell 18th June 2008 - Who's listening? In contrast to Khan's reaction, the Rose inquiry will not be a quiet affair. The shadow home secretary, David Davis, smells blood, senses incompetence in Whitehall and wants those responsible brought in. But we would do well to let Rose's inquiry blossom, not least because the constant drip of news tends to obscure, rather than clarify, issues and events. As such, each story becomes the focus of an inquiry that detracts rather than focuses minds on proceedings. Early this morning, for instance, we found out that a second bugging device planted in a prison telephone was illegally used to record privileged conversations between an inmate and his solicitor, about the murder of three police officers in west London in 1966. It is highly likely we will find more. from : charlieedwards 5th February 2008
- Government ‘lacks a clear and coherent view’ of security risks to UK from : williamhigham 10th December 2007
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Lord West's abrupt ‘about turn’
Yesterday Lord West was asked whether he thought the police needed more than 28 days to question terrorist suspects.
08:20 (on the Today Programme): 'I'm not convinced we need to hold terror suspects longer than 28 days'
from : charlieedwards 15th November 2007
09:05 (having had breakfast with Gordon Brown): 'Actually, I am convinced' - The mind has no firewall A Demos - Cyber Security KTN seminarPresentation by Keith A. Rhodes, PE, CCP, Chief Technologist Director, Center for Technology & Engineering, US Government Accountability Office.Response by Chris Ketley CESG and Peter Rogers, Managing Director QinetiQ Trusted Information Management. Chris Ketley leads the Research and Technology groups within CESG, the UK National Information Assurance Technical Authority. Peter Rogers heads up QinetiQ's information security and assurance... from : charlieedwards 27th September 2007
- Political intelligence What it is with politicians and reorganizing Whitehall departments and agencies? John Reid’s answer to the threat from counter-terrorism was to split the Home Office creating a Ministry of Justice and a ‘security ministry’. Nick Clegg’s answer to tackling extremism is to merge the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). The ideas published in a new book by the Lib Dems are primarily designed to ‘harden the party’s position on law and order, an area in which they have traditionally been seen as soft’. from : charlieedwards 12th September 2007
- Holistic answer to national security challenges Consider for a moment the multitude of forces affecting the UK; from terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, immigration, pandemics and climate change to the impact of fragile states on the global community and the growth of organised crime. from : rupertfaircliff 8th August 2007
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The politics of national security (or how to spin by the new PM)
Yesterday Gordon Brown gave a statement on national security. It was a veritable shopping list of activities, initiative and policies. Most of them had been announced last week but it was wheeled out again yesterday for one reason. Today the Conservative Party will publish their national and international security policy review. Brown’s sharp piece of political maneuvering will leave Cameron and his national security adviser Pauline Neville Jones only a few recommendations to choose from. In his statement Brown was able to announce the creation of a unified border police (the centre piece of the Conservative's proposal), propose a £70 million pound fund for local communities to resist violent extremism and announce 2 further things the government should have done 3 years ago
from : charlieedwards 26th July 2007