To be honest, this writer is not convinced that today’s links pass the mustard.

RING! RING!

*clears throat*

Welcome to today’s quite excellent links!

Terrorism, again

Terrorism is dominating the news again, with the proposed increase in the police’s detention powers up for debate. Rachel North, writing for CiF, argues that she has, “not seen any compelling evidence that such powers are necessary,” and asks, “Why hand terrorists the gift of a society that is a little angrier, a little more fearful, a little less free?”

According to the Tories, the proposed new powers amount to a “permanent undeclared state of emergency”. Brown looks uncomfortable on this issue, and Lord West’s about turn yesterday (live on The BBC, Demos reports) will not have helped. Mike Smithson claimed that West’s blunder highlighted that, “Gordon Brown’s policy agenda is driven far too much by his desire to wrong-foot the Tories.” LC’s Dave Osler - writing on his blog - claimed, “A 56-day limit, which is what New Labour seems to want, would be tantamount to the reintroduction of interment without trial.”

While still on the subject of security, Jeremy Hargreaves has an interesting post on Britain’s future relations with Washington and Europe.

Highlights

The New Humanist blog is covering the fallout from Martin Rowson’s illustration to a story in NH. The cartoon has been labelled “homophobic”, and has been criticised for ridiculing Christopher Hitchen’s weight. Is satire dead? (org. NH article)

The Daily (maybe) - John Mullen: Class struggle in France: “Train workers are striking against the destruction of their pension deal, civil servants are aiming at pay rises and job creations, students are angry at the imposition of influence from private companies in universities, magistrates are campaigning against cuts.”

The Dissenter’s Voice - The left turn is a dead end: “The difference between them though is that Chris Huhne has decided to run to the left, outlining a platform which appears designed to appeal to the small selectorate of LibDem activists, while Nick Clegg looks to be trying to challenge the party and reach out beyond it to the wider electorate.”

Elsewhere

Jon Bright @ OurKingdom - Democratic reform is Brown’s real chance at a vision.

Peter Black AM - Affordable Housing

The Poor Mouth - Most definitely not the tinfoil hat brigade

Darren Grover - I wish I was a tory..

Don’t miss Mind the Gap on Guardian’s interview of Trinny and Susannah.

And finally… Good luck to Mike Smithson, who’s going to blog full-time.