Something is on the march...

...but it sure isn't looking like freedom.

It seems Britain is officially out of the running as a potential emigration destination once the brownshirts fully take over my country. The Prevention of Terrorism Bill is poised to pass, Howard and Blair having forged an unholy compromise on the sunset clause issue--MPs and peers will have chance to review the draconian legislation a year from now.

In a nutshell, the Prevention of Terrorism Bill enables the government to place broad sweeping restrictions on people's freedom when they are "terror suspects" but not able to be prosecuted for some reason or another. These potential restrictions include:

Banning possession or use of specified articles or substances
Prohibiting the use of certain services, such as internet or phones
Restricting work or business
Restricting association or communication with certain individuals, or other people generally
Restricting the person's place of residence or who is allowed into the premises
Requiring the person to be at specified places or in a particular area at certain times or days
Restricting movements within the UK or international travel
A specific 24-hour ban on movements
Requiring the surrendering of a passport
A requirement to give access to specified people to his home
A requirement to allow officials to search his home
A requirement to let officials remove items from premises for tests
A requirement to be monitored by electronic tagging or other means
A requirement to provide information to an official on demand
A requirement to report at a specified time and place

Depending on whether you're reading the conservative or liberal press, this is explained as a necessary measure to protect the country from attack--those sticky due process provisions forming such an impediment to safety--or a frightening step in the march toward fascism. You can probably guess where my opinion fits in the spectrum.

You can find the text of the bill here with Wednesday's addition here.

The only thing I'm still not clear on is the casting here. Is England the Italy to our Germany or am I getting it wrong?