In an effort to push through an extension to the number of days the police can detain you without charge (if you are suspected of being a terrorist), the government—sorry: “Gordon Brown”, because all current and future legislation is the work of a single overbusy Scotsman—is suggesting that it will compensate innocent suspects held under the new legislaton:
Unveiling what appeared to be one final compromise, Tony McNulty, the Home Office Minister, disclosed that ministers were considering a compensation proposal. It was believed that suspects would be given up to £3,000 for every day they were held but subsequently released without charge. The Home Office later refused to confirm specific figures, however.
Putting a potential £126 000 of prize money at stake—time for me to work on that beard—is a cunning plan to ensure that when critics make reference to “Big Brother” legislation, the general public will think of the game show rather than the character in 1984.
2 Comments
Before you head down the route of pogonotrophy, the small print is that it’s an offer with a similar level of exaggeration to advertised broadband speeds.
It’s £3K per day for each day from the current period of 28 days to the higher 42 days, so it’s only £3K*14=£42K.
However, if you’re also thinking of a fallback position of creating your own programming language, it seems to be a necessity.
Sound like a good deal to me. NASA pays much less for people to lie in a bed for a similar period of time doing nothing. Stingy.
And I already have a) a beard and b) a Middle Eastern passport. So move aside, please.