Sturgeon says social media is a "Plague on Democracy"!

 

GCHQ Whistleblower - Katherine Gun 

In her final major speech, Nicola Sturgeon says she agrees with Tony Blair when he described 'social media' as a "plague" on democracy. She says that politicians are subjected to verbal abuse on social media. I wonder why?

Perhaps, she's referring to comments made by the author J.K. Rowling, who called Sturgeon, a "destroyer of women's rights" on social media. There's little doubt that Sturgeons' stance on the toxic issue of gender reform in Scotland, is a factor in her political downfall and the SNP losing members and popularity in Scotland.

As for Tony Blair, isn't this the man who took Britain into a phoney and illegal war against Iraq and the regime of Saddam Hussein, on the grounds that he had WMD's that were never found, because there wasn't any to be found?

Last night, I watched the movie "Official Secrets", starring Keira Knightley. She played the part of the GCHQ Mandarin translator and whistle-blower, Katherine Gun, who leaked an email from an American National Security Agency (NSA) official, called Frank Koza, who was chief of staff at the "regional targets" section of the NSA. The email was seeking G.C.H.Q's co-operation in spying on members of the United Nations (U.N.) security council to blackmail them into voting for a U.N. resolution to send troops into war with Iraq. The leaked email was published by The Observer and Gun admitted to having leaked the email. She was eventually prosecuted for breaching the Official Secrets Act. She pleaded not guilty and entered a defence of "necessity" - speaking up to save imminent danger to life. The defence was never tested in court because the prosecution withdrew their case against Katherine Gun.

What seems to have clinched it, is that the defence had asked for disclosure of advice given by the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, who had initially advised that a war against Iraq without a second U.N. resolution, would be illegal and that the only grounds for a war, were self- defence, which wasn't an option, because Iraq wasn't threatening Briton. Tony Blair then barred Goldsmith from attending cabinet meetings and he threatened to resign. He then changed his legal opinion after a visit to America and after speaking to Lady Sally Morgan and Lord Falconer. 

Rather than disclose the information that would have put the legality of the war against Iraq on trial, the government withdrew their case against Katherine Gun. The leaked email did not stop the U.S invasion of Iraq in 2003 and it was not until 2016, that Lord Goldsmith's initial legal advice was disclosed by the Chilcot inquiry.