the problem is they seem to think 'they' should control 'us' for our own safety whereas it should be the other way around... it is 'us' who should be controlling 'them', it's a democracy isn't it?

The story of J Edgar Hoover's intimidation of politicians based on the files he kept on them is well known. Is that sort of thing already happening once again? If not, it won't be long before it does.

As Churchill was overheard saying in 1922 in reply to a chum who had tried to console him having just lost his Dundee seat after 13 years, "If allowing them to stick an X on a piece of paper every few years actually allowed them to change anything we wouldn't let them do it". True to his word he was found a safe seat down in England and was back in parliament in no time. The voter's rights to get rid of idiots wasn't allowed to stand then and it is far less likely to stand now when things are so much better run. If you want a true representative democracy you need a dart and a randomised voters roll in every constituency and pick your MP that way.

Göring: Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship. 

Gilbert: There is one difference. In a democracy, the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars. 

Göring: Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.

There are only two parties in Britain today which are utterly committed to clipping the wings of MI5 and GCHQ and forcing them to account for any activities that include spying on British citizens, and it ain't Labour, or the Lib Dems, or the Tories.

It's the Greens and UKIP - take your pick. I'll be going with UKIP.