Friday 6 August 2010

Cameras to be turned back on in Birmingham

There are reports this morning that the controversial cameras in the Washwood Heath and Sparkbrook areas of Birmingham will be switched on despite objections from some residents.

According to reports in the Birmingham Mail, opposition to the cameras wasn't as universal as campaigners would have liked people to believe.

We'll try to follow up on these reports in due course.

Radio 5 Live debates: Cameras or crime, you choose

Radio 5 Live hosted a call-in this morning about CCTV. Overall it was a balanced presentation, with the usual rhetoric issuing from both sides of the debate.

On the one hand, CCTV is a step too far. On the other hand, we feel safer with CCTV and besides if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear.

Most balanced comment came from Akim (sorry if I've misspelled your name) who made the point that there are pros and cons to installing CCTV, but if the worst that you can say about it is that it can record your image in a public place, then that's not enough to condemn it.

There's a small (very small) contribution from yours truly near the end of the programme.

You can listen to it until Friday 13th August at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t9rqt.