A report in today's Mirror suggests that Gordon Brown is planning for a snap election next spring or even this autumn. The memo from party strategist Philip Gould sets out a 10 point plan for Brown to build public confidence with a "strategy of audacious advance" and to use a "shock and awe" approach to win a snap election.

It seems that Brown has been following the advice. In particular Gould says:

"The cluster of issues around security - crime, terror, immigration and so on - are now the dominant group of issues. I suspect that will be still the case by the next election."

In other words: play the fear card. If the public are sufficiently scared then they'll accept all sorts of oppressive measures and vote in favour of restrictions on their freedom.

Brown's authoritarian approach is reflected in his continued support for compulsory ID Cards and a National Identity Register (NIR) along with his desire to introduce extended internment without charge and hints of extra restrictions at unspecified "crowded places". He's also appointed Jacqui Smith as Home Secretary - a woman who reportedly chooses David "Big" Blunkett as her role model and rapidly rejects any suggestion of liberalism.

Brown may be more likeable than Tony Blair on a personal level, but inside the velvet glove the ex-Chancellor's fist is still made of iron. Brown is as much of a threat to civil liberties in the UK as was Blair.

The memo from Gould also says:

"You must start election planning early. We can't leave it late as we did last time. We must make a start."

That message is as important for anti-authoritarians as for Brown. If Brown is preparing for a snap election then we must start preparing to ensure that he loses.

Spread the word.


civil liberties Gordon Brown UK politics ukpolitics