Contempt upon contempt

Last week the news broke that the Home Office have at least 2700 known criminals, who are innocent. You couldn't have missed it - but if you happen to have a name that sounds like someone with a criminal record, and could possible have been born at more or less the same time... then if someone requests a Criminal Records Bureau check against you (for reason of employment reference, for example) then you may well show up as a heinous criminal, with a serious record. That is reason enough to be concerned, but apparently it gets worse. According to the Mail on Sunday:

But a Home Office spokesman said last night: 'People can appeal and the onus is on them to prove they aren't the person on the form. The CRB normally deals with appeals within 21 days. We do not intend to change the system.'

Err, has the law been changed without the Gorse Fox being aware? Can we now be Guilty until proven Innocent? Is the CRB immune from libel laws?

Would anyone like to guess what civil liberties will be left to us once the current Soviet regime is voted out, assuming:

• people with jobs are still allowed to vote


• people paying tax are still allowed to vote

[File under: Home Office, CRB]