big brother lives in britain and is growing; 

 

While the public is encouraged to blame immigrants, Muslims, the left, or ‘Israel haters’, the UK state is racing to erect a scaffolding of control to protect itself before we wake up to the deception

When is it possible to declare that a society has moved from liberal democracy, however imperfectly realised, to authoritarian rule? Is there a moment when it is suddenly obvious the change has occurred? Does authoritarianism announce its arrival?

Or is it a process that gradually unfolds, where restraints on executive power are dismantled piece by piece until the tide cannot be reversed?

Is the turn to authoritarianism something that can only be understood after the event, when all opportunities to halt the slide have been missed?

And how do we admit to ourselves that we have been stripped of our most basic and cherished freedoms – of speech, assembly and protest – when we are no longer free to speak, meet or protest?

The unpalatable truth is that Britain is already far down this path. And if you are unaware of the earthquake that has been taking place, that may be because – just as you might expect when authoritarianism comes calling – the very first to be smothered are the voices sounding the alarm.

A media owned by billionaires and the state – the parties that, in an age of growing popular discontent, have most to gain from the accretion of executive power and the silencing of dissent – have no reason to illuminate the encroaching darkness.........more.........