Councils Get ‘Al Capone’ Power to Seize Assets Over Minor Offences 'Draconian police powers designed to deprive crime barons of luxury lifestyles are being extended to councils, quangos and agencies to use against the public, The Times has learnt. The right to search homes, seize cash, freeze bank accounts and confiscate property will be given to town hall officials and civilian investigators employed by organisations as diverse as Royal Mail, the Rural Payments Agency and Transport for London. The measure, being pushed through by Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, comes into force next week and will deploy some of the most powerful tools available to detectives against fare dodgers, families in arrears with council tax and other minor offenders.' Gordon Brown to 'Buy Off' Germany and France to Get President Blair 'The Prime Minister is now actively campaigning for Mr Blair to get the post. Number 10 believes that Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, will add her support to the move if she is allowed to choose a German for the other new role created by the Lisbon Treaty, the high representative for foreign affairs. Secret Plan For Euro Income Tax 'Secret plans to seize more than £4billion a year from Britain and make its citizens pay taxes direct to Europe emerged last night. The leaked proposals, seen by the Daily Express, state that Britain should lose the billions of pounds in rebate that was agreed by Margaret Thatcher 25 years ago. The plans – with a foreword by European Union Commissioner Jose Manuel Barroso – would cost every British family at least £155 a year. They would also mean Brussels being given the power to dip straight into taxpayers’ pockets. The proposals prompted fury last night.'
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, would be offered the chance to select a politician to take on one of the top economic portfolios, possibly the EU trade commissioner's role currently held by Britain.'
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
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