Re: Search for Tenants in Block of Flats

Roy Stockdill wrote:

From: Liz <pandora@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 


Hugh Watkins wrote:


no thanks - UK is lagging behind bothe USA and Denamrk

an honest citizen has nothing to hide

much UK admion / civil service is primitive and out dated 

A silly and inept conflation of criminality and privacy.

Your 'honest citizen' may have nothing he need hide from police/authorities but may still have aspects of his life that he cosiders to be his own affair and not up for public discussion.

Whatever happened to the fine old English attitude of 'Mind your own damn business'?>


It rather depends, surely, on whether those "aspects of his life that he considers to be his own affair and not up for public discussion" impinge upon the rights and privacy of others, whether the person concerned may recognise it or not?

I get sick and tired of seeing in my local paper - and others up and down the land - building developers, incompetent businessmen, shopkeepers and firms who've given bad service, people wanting to build large extensions on their houses to the extent of possible interference with the rights of their neighbours to enjoy their homes, etc, telling the reporter "no comment" or "it's none of your business". The plain fact is that in circumstances where other people are affected by someone's actions, then it IS the business of the press and others to demand an explanation. Unfortunately, most actions by human beings usually impinge upon another human being!

Robert Maxwell was a great one for pleading his privacy and uttered writs like confetti to anyone invading it. So are politicians and civil servants, usually anxious to cover up their mistakes and pecadilloes. The question, is where does the right to privacy end and the public's right to know begin?

I believe you and I are united in opposition to ID cards, which may or may not have been what Hugh was commenting on. However, doesn't it occur to you that the right to privacy very often carries with it public obligations? 


the new UK ID cards are silly
no more than glorified passports

but administratevely badly thought out
like the poll tax and the modern version of the bastardy bond
child  ?? agency

all we need is a accurate private list of citizens, residents and visitors and where they live
useablel to stop cheating and tax avoidance

police and others to have restricted access according to need

Don Moody  has sent a rant to my rubbish bin
he does not deign to accept email with gmail addresses
so he is "on ignore" again

ignorance is bliss bye bye Don

Hugh W

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