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  • Is National Security above the law?

    From Jeff Layman@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jun 18 13:45:08 2025
    There was a discussion on local radio this morning about the 1994
    Chinook helicopter crash <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxv542ynzlo>.

    The solicitor for the Chinook Justice Campaign, Mark Stephens, made some interesting comments. He said that the documents concerning the crash
    had been sealed by the MoD firstly for 15 years, then 30 years, and
    finally 100 years. His main point, though, was that if the sealed
    documents were released, the MoD would only do so to a judge with the "appropriate security clearance". The MoD claims the documents contain third-party personal information, which is why they are restricted.

    Who sets such security clearance? The webpage on becoming a judge at <https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/judge> mentions
    that an applicant would have to "pass security checks", and that links
    to <https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/judge>. That is
    just a general page for anyone requiring security. Do judges have
    varying levels of security?

    --
    Jeff

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  • From Jethro_uk@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jun 18 12:47:12 2025
    *All* laws have derogations for "national security".

    And above them, all treaties have exemptions for national security.

    Is it the principle or the practice that is problematic ?

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  • From Jeff Layman@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jun 18 22:34:16 2025
    On 18/06/2025 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:
    *All* laws have derogations for "national security".

    And above them, all treaties have exemptions for national security.

    Is it the principle or the practice that is problematic ?

    Does it matter? I'm not even sure which law(s) the DoH's position comes
    under, but it doesn't seem to be the National Security Act 2023.

    --
    Jeff

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  • From Handsome Jack@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jun 19 10:32:24 2025
    On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:47:12 -0000 (UTC), Jethro_uk wrote:

    *All* laws have derogations for "national security".

    And above them, all treaties have exemptions for national security.

    Is it the principle or the practice that is problematic ?


    But surely, if they've got nothing to hide they've got nothing to fear?

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