It's not that long since the cuts have been announced and there are going to be a few hundred thousand people who are going to find themselves in a position that I did - looking for a job during a severe recession. I've had a few doubts about the level of caring conservatism that David Cameron genuinely wishes to put into practice. There were the comments about the looneys and fruitcakes of UKIP and Nick Clegg being his favourite joke - demonstrates that the man is not a natural coalition builder. Nor does he have a genuine interest in assisting the working classes. A few things struck me about the Raoul Moat situation that gradually unfolded several months ago. Firstly, the family stated in the press that they'd offered to speak to him, this possibly providing adequate support to ensure that he survived arrest and initial imprisonment procedures. This was denied and the position that arose appeared to contribute significantly to his suicide.
The government may have chosen to implement guilty until somehow found to be innocent policies resulting in facilitated social breakdown, that is refusing contact with the family when he was in an isolated situation. There was decision without trial and what resulted contributed to his death. What's interesting in this situation is that it is not clear where the decision was made, nor who made it.
What may not strike many of the public about the police after working with them in Kings Norton, is that they struck me individually and when carrying out their duties to be a generally diligent and compassionate group of people on the whole. What quite often is not clear is that it is the will of the right wingers in the UK to make the police an intimidating force, to oppress and bully those who may have had little in the way of choice on the route into a crime ridden life. There's still the convention of trying to make the police appear larger than they really are by getting them to wear the head-extending helmet on their heads and I wouldn't be surprised if Mr Cameron had the doors of new Police Stations built so they suggested the Police who would run out of them were seven foot tall.
There is a Victorian set of principles around Mr Cameron and his outlook on crime and disorder. It strikes me as very discordant in terms of the affinity that he needs to be finding quite regularly with the Liberals with whom they have this historic coalition. Is the government going to make it into the 21st Century with regard to their outlook on the impact of the police - that they should themselves cease to be the threat and everything should be meted out through the penalty that is implemented by the Criminal Justice System.
There seemed some intent, by refusing contact with his family, to edge Raoul Moat closer to the edge and no clear indication on what level the decision was taken to refuse contact with the family. If it was within the senior staff of the Home Office or by a senior police officer who had a responsibility for the case then I would hope that it would be indicated. I imagine this blog won't be adequate to influence the situation and the cost of a public enquiry would be far from the ideal outcome - especially in the light of the cutbacks that are going to be taking place. Are there going to be further actions of the Police to serve as a social breakdown agency? If so, will there be more people who die, guilty before never being found innocent?
I personally don't want to be seen to sympathise with Raoul - more with the police officer who was injured - though I do want the public, and potential offenders, to know where they stand and it appears that there could be significant deterrents to violent crime spelled out by the media regarding how the Police will be instructed to act following a crime involving violence - hand yourself in, you'll be classed as being guilty until you're found innocent may be one message.
