NO to the extradition of Gary McKinnon...

What is it that attracts this awful government of ours to American backsides? Why is it that we have to kowtow to the demands of a country that, in all truth, is quite backward on matters of humanity, welfare and justice; I just don't understand why Gordon and his cronies have this need to suck up to American politics and the American criminal justice system in the way that they do. What does the American government have over the British government that makes them behave in such a shameful manner? We, you and I, can't just visit the US, without having to be 'looked into' by the Homeland Security and Immigration Control goons but American citizens don't have to do this when visiting the UK. We even have a lopsided Anglo-American extradition treaty with them, that gives the Americans more rights than British passport holders. In 2006 there was an amendment made to this treaty, the Extradition Act (2006), which can be used to allow Gary Mckinnon to be tried in British Courts but is the government enacting this law? NO of course they're not. Did you know that no less than three New Labour Home Secretaries have rubber stamped Gary McKinnon's extradition; John Read just approved it with the minimum of fuss, Jaquie Smith (she of porn tapes fame) upheld the decision without even trying to get any guarantees about bail or reparation and now Alan Johnson insists that his hands are tied. And did you know that Gary McKinnon was told that 'if' he pleaded guilty and said nothing about his extradition, he could end up with a shorter sentence in a British prison. But because he didn't agree with this course of action, he is now classed as a terrorist and faces instead, a full life term in a high security American prison. This New Labour government of ours then, this government that turned its back on the Gurkas, that stood up for sleaze and rip off expenses, that justifies a secret inquiry into the Iraq war and that abandons its citizens, just simply makes me feel ashamed.