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Michael Nyman |
COMPOSER IN ATTACK ON PUB CAMERAS
MP accused of ‘weasel words’ on right to be free from crime fear
CELEBRATED composer Michael Nyman has launched a stinging attack on the government’s growing surveillance culture after learning his local pub is being forced to install CCTV cameras.
Mr Nyman CBE, who lives in Barnsbury, said he was “ashamed that Britain is the most visually and information-controlled country in the world”.
The row broke out after police told the new landlord of the Draper’s Arms, Nick Gibson, that they would not object to his licence application as long as he installs CCTV and shares images of his customers with police.
Speaking to the Tribune from Mexico City this week, Mr Nyman said he “absolutely detests” CCTV.
He criticised the hypocrisy of “a government that allows its MPs and bankers to break rules the rest of us are obliged to respect... a government and its agencies, public or private, that don’t have a clue as to how to use and safeguard the information we allow them to solicit, control and ‘curate’ to preserve our so-called ‘freedom’. Total bollocks, I am afraid.”
The composer, who wrote the multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion’s movie The Piano and whose operas include The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and Facing Goya, said he has had many fine meals in the Draper’s Arms, in Barnsbury Street, but objects to being filmed.
He added: “For what purpose are we being filmed? All that crap about protecting the public from terrorism and crime is just that – meaningless crap.”
Mr Nyman accused Islington South and Finsbury Labour MP Emily Thornberry of using “weasel words” when she suggested last week that the more important civil rights issue was the right of residents to be free from the fear of crime.
He said: “I have lived a few blocks away from the Draper’s Arms for around 12 years and I have totally failed to notice all this ‘danger’ that surrounds me.
“It’s just a symbol of a kind of uncultured nastiness that seems to pervade a government system that allows the Home Secretary of all people to exploit privileged loopholes in their generous world of dodgy benefits that most of the rest of the electorate do not have available to them.”
Ms Thornberry, whose office is in the same street as the Draper’s Arms, said: “We’ve had a number of bikes stolen from outside the office. We put a CCTV camera outside my office 18 months ago.
“I’m constantly trying to get the council to put CCTV in the street but they won’t.”
She added that Mr Gibson would not be photographing customers.
“It’s not going to be a walk-through photo booth,” she said. “It’s going to be cameras at certain levels so you can identify people.
“Street crime is a big problem in Islington.
“If the council is not going to put CCTV cameras on the street it’s up to businesses to do it. There’s no difference between a camera and a person looking at you. I think the much bigger civil liberties issue is to be free from the fear of crime. I’m confident the majority of my constituents agree with me.”
Islington Council Lib Dem crime chief Councillor Terry Stacy said: “We believe CCTV is an important tool in the fight against crime, but we don’t believe every street in the UK should be covered by it. In Islington it has been installed in places that need it. We’ve injected millions into it.
“Why do Labour feel they need to butt their noses into everyone’s life?” |
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