As long as you obey the law...

[cromwell]

“For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens: as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone."

This is a quote from David Cameron's speech on the new laws they are going to bring in to combat radicalisation and extremism.

But isn't leaving citizens alone who obey the law actually the point of the law, and a central belief of Conservatism?

This is bad, it's giving a green light to state snooping and interference in people's lives; and if Cameron thinks it's not so bad, wait until a more "socially authoritarian" person like Yvette Cooper or Labour get back in; think what they will do with an attitude like that and with powers like that.

This is just wrong.

[TheOstrich]

Whilst I agree with beefing up security measures, including looking very carefully at the way Moslem culture in particular flourishes in certain areas and sectors of the country (Trojan Horse, Madrassas, Sharia Courts, etc. etc.), it was nevertheless both a stupid and a worrying comment by Cameron.

As for interfering in peoples' lives generally, you only have to look at the demonisation of obesity over the last few years. We are on the verge of various anti-obesity measures becoming compulsory. I can't find a link to prove it, but I'm sure there was something on the local news recently about 60 Wolverhampton families being singled out for "treatment".

[Workingman]

A very worrying statement from any Head of State: anywhere.

Surely the whole idea of policing is to leave the law abiders alone to get on with their lives and to come down hard on the law breakers? The UK already has the second part wrong with its soft sentencing and half time served parole system, it now looks to be going the whole hog.

If there is any civil unrest against this move I will be joining in. A step too far IMHO.