Armed police

[thelawnet]

Anyone heard anything so ludicrous? Sixteen police have died in the past decade in the line of service. Tragic of course, but in the same period around 500 died working in construction, 300 agricultural workers, 300 manufacturing workers, and of course over 1000 cyclists. Few if any of which made headline news.

Perhaps armed cyclists would make things safer on the roads, people would think twice about cutting you up then.

[meic]

It would not be too clever for the criminals OR the Police to get involved in an arms race.

The rank and file Police seem to see the sense of this too.

When some criminals play that game then the Police, justifiably come in with heavy firepower.
Other criminals understand that it is best to keep clear of firearms and the Police do the same back.

[kwackers]

I reckon grenades constitutes an escalation... Next it'll be anti-personnel mines.

I think things would have to become pretty grim before we'd as a country accept armed police and fortunately nobody seems to be seriously suggesting it.

[thirdcrank]

It's interesting to see how an event like the murders in Manchester changes things.

Only a few days ago, the govt was in fit for nothing, idle public servants (with gold-plated pensions funded by the rest of us) mode and now the Govt Chief Whip - their head nasty whose role is to secure discipline in the party through arm-twisting and worse - is subjected to the political equivalent of his daddy marching him round to see somebody he has wronged saying "Now, what are you going to say to Mr.....?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19671093

[kwackers]

<Snip>
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19671093

That story must be giving the DM a bit of a headache...

Which headline to go for?
"Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell apologises ..."
Or.
"Foul mouth cyclist apologises ..."

[meic]

Isnt it giving us a bit of a headache too?

It sounds as if he was denied the right to use the road gate because he was only riding a cycle and made to dismount and use the pavement gate.

[thirdcrank]

Isnt it giving us a bit of a headache too?

It sounds as if he was denied the right to use the road gate because he was only riding a cycle and made to dismount and use the pavement gate.

Not only that, but apparently they were armed police.

[meic]

<Snip>
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19671093

That story must be giving the DM a bit of a headache...

Which headline to go for?
"Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell apologises ..."
Or.
"Foul mouth cyclist apologises ..."

I have a solution for them. They can point out how a nice refined Office and Gentleman like the Honourable Andrew Mitchell was reduced to the level of scum by the influence of getting on a cycle.
This has phenomenon already been observed by Petronella Wyatt of that esteemed paper.

But, let a cycle in your life, and you invite eternal strife... You are a pearl of grace and polish, who never spoke above a hush, then all at once you're using language that would make a sailor blush.'

[thelawnet]

It's interesting to see how an event like the murders in Manchester changes things.

Only a few days ago, the govt was in fit for nothing, idle public servants (with gold-plated pensions funded by the rest of us) mode and now the Govt Chief Whip - their head nasty whose role is to secure discipline in the party through arm-twisting and worse - is subjected to the political equivalent of his daddy marching him round to see somebody he has wronged saying "Now, what are you going to say to Mr.....?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19671093

The original captures the flavour better.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... plebs.html

"A MILLIONAIRE Cabinet minister was threatened with arrest after an astonishing foul-mouthed rant at armed cops in Downing Street.
Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell — newly-promoted by PM David Cameron — raged: “You’re f***ing plebs.”
The cycling Tory’s outburst came the day after two women PCs were shot dead."

"His disgraceful outburst on Wednesday evening came just 33 HOURS after PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were shot dead in Manchester."

(hundreds of miles away, they fail to add)

Looks like he needs a front mudguard.

I must admit have a degree of sympathy with his position, if not his language. It's inconvenient to be forced to use pedestrian gates when on a bike. Clearly had he been a car they would have opened the gates for him. It is not a very good message to send out that bicycles are inferior.

He looks like he might be another one who has been subjected to helmet propaganda, but not so much that he actually wears it.

[Mark1978]

If he was to use the pedestrian entrance then he would be riding on the pavement?!

[thirdcrank]

I'd been intending to query in an earlier post (but as so often happens, I was distracted and forgot ) why this person was riding a bike in the first place. Unless somebody can point to something showing that he's a lifelong cyclist, when I'll withdraw and say sorry, it's all part of the same scenario that has the likes of Cameron clowning about on bikes.

[kwackers]

I'd been intending to query in an earlier post (but as so often happens, I was distracted and forgot ) why this person was riding a bike in the first place. Unless somebody can point to something showing that he's a lifelong cyclist, when I'll withdraw and say sorry, it's all part of the same scenario that has the likes of Cameron clowning about on bikes.

Oh oh...
Is this some kind of bicycle snobbery? Only folk that have been riding bikes for ages can ride bikes...

[thirdcrank]

I'd been intending to query in an earlier post (but as so often happens, I was distracted and forgot ) why this person was riding a bike in the first place. Unless somebody can point to something showing that he's a lifelong cyclist, when I'll withdraw and say sorry, it's all part of the same scenario that has the likes of Cameron clowning about on bikes.

=================================
Edit to add

I've checked wiki to see if he's a life-long cyclist but no mention (although I see he's been praised by Jon Snow in another connection. ) While checking that, I noted that in the long years in opposition, he was at one time shadow minister with particular responsibility for policing.

kwackers:

It's not snobbery at all: just an aversion to party politicians jumping onto bandwagons, or in this case bikes.

[kwackers]

TBH I think its a good thing if politicians ride bikes - regardless of their motives.

[irc]

Anyone heard anything so ludicrous? Sixteen police have died in the past decade in the line of service. Tragic of course, but in the same period around 500 died working in construction, 300 agricultural workers, 300 manufacturing workers, and of course over 1000 cyclists

No Prime Ministers have been murdered in the last 16 years in the UK as far as I remember. Obviously they don't need their armed protection officers.

Is the UK right and every other country wrong on arming the police?

Frontline cops are regularly confronted by armed criminals. It doesn't even make headlines any more. Here's one from Glasgow High Court this month. One person shot. Loaded shotgun pointed at unarmed police before surrendering to armed police.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ds-newsxml

Derek Bird in Cumbria was confronted by unarmed police who couldn't stop him before going on to kill another 9 people.

Should all frontline police be armed. Debateable. Not ludicrous.