This is the 10th chapter of a novel being published in serial form in the Daily Sceptic. It’s a dystopian satire about the emergence of a social credit system in the UK in the near future. Read the first nine chapters here.
For the first time in what felt like months (but was only three days), he was alone. There were no brokenhearted, sobbing children; no awkward, apologetic big sisters; no warmongering Ella; no suspicious men delivering mysterious and unwanted envelopes.
Just him, a mug of black, sugary tea, and – finally – the letter.
Hard-edged, bold letters were printed across the top.
DEPARTMENT FOR INFORMATION CONTROL
Encasing the envelope, a red border. To create a sense of danger, he supposed. Funny how there always seemed to be the budget for that.
Steadying himself, he took a slow deep breath and exhaled noisily.
That he was about to be on the wrong end of some kind of Free Speech Offence was all but certain. Why else did the Department for Information Control exist, other than to ensure that those who dared to challenge the prevailing orthodoxies were denounced and delegitimised, struck out as traitors to the cause of someone’s truth? Heretics to be – at best – derided and – at worst… well, who really knew where the worst lay, now. He was as aware as anyone about the rumours of ‘re-education camps’.
“We must disinfect free speech, to protect free speech,” Mrs Surrey, the Minister for Opportunities, had said, sincere, straight-faced and in an incongruously soothing voice, standing on the podium outside Number 10 a few months back, introducing Britain’s new Freedom of Speech and Thought Act.
Still, there was a chance it might not be terrible.
There was a sliding scale of ‘free speech’ offences, after all; singing slyly subversive song lyrics one night late in the local pub, say, as Robert had been a while back – the kind of socially acceptable indiscretion usually met only with fines provided that one could show there was a genuine degree of creative intent or perhaps community forgiveness; to the regrettably nebulous and risibly broad “threatening democracy or any organisation, institution or individual whose primary purpose is the furthering of democracy”; to the most serious. Those, almost always announced as ‘extremism’ charges, included “subverting trust in Key Industries”, and “quoting a Proscribed Author or Organisation”, the latter of which had, at a Ministerial stroke of a pen consigned all manner of activists, freedom fighters, thought leaders and thinkers – Gandhi and and Mandela, Orwell and Voltaire, Monbiot, Liddle, Rowling and, ironically, the Fabian Society and Free Speech Union – to the dustbin.
He racked his brain thinking about what he’d written.
If he was honest, he was slightly surprised he’d not already received some kind of notification.
After he’d lost his job at the paper for declining to sing from the editorially prescribed hymn sheet by proclaiming his unswerving allegiance to the overwhelming and unarguable benefits of the Efficiency Programme, he’d played it, if not safe, smart, or so he’d thought. He’d been careful, almost to the point of neurosis, never to suggest directly that the Programme might be unsafe, or buoyed by anything other than complete public support. He’d studiously avoided any whiff of anything which might ‘subvert trust’ in the idolised Key Industries. He’d been rigorous and pedantic about focusing always only on issues that were unarguable or could be evidenced by one’s eyes and ears: proven transgressions carried out in plain sight or whose existence had been accepted by a public authority.
Still, it was undoubtedly a thin line and one that no amount of crafty navigation could completely inoculate against. For what had felt like a long, anxious period he had assumed that, sooner or later, he was bound to attract the attention of DICs, as he liked to call the Department of Information Control in his head. But then the weeks had turned into months, and then to years, and even as it became abundantly clear that certain opinions and topics could not safely be given a hearing, he was yet to receive any notification of infringement let alone a formal charge. He had, naïvely he supposed, assumed that was deliberate: it was important, after all, for a country masquerading as a democracy to maintain at least some illusion of press freedom — carefully calibrated censorship was the order of the day. Plus, in theory journalists were off limits, though everyone knew the theory only held so far.
He supposed, looking back, that he’d become more brazen. Although he’d always stopped short of writing or saying anything totally daft, he’d slyly strived to outsmart the system. He’d started to attack the protected industries, never head-on, but still, from around the edges, articles shining a light on serious breaches of ethics and flagrant deviations from procedure. He’d peppered his pieces with cunningly covert references to blacklisted authors, being always careful to jumble up quotes and mixing and matching his revered masters to a degree that he felt sure not even the cleverest of AI censorship bots could detect.
Or so he’d thought.
He guessed he hadn’t been careful or clever enough.
Unable to put it off any further, he picked up the letter. It weighed down in his hand like lead.
Slowly, deliberately and carefully, he opened it, coldly observing, as if he were a bystander, the fact that his life might be about to spill open with the letter’s contents. As if on autopilot, an action over which he had no control and about which he barely wanted to be informed even after the event, his eyes scanned down the page.
And then, not believing what they saw, they scanned again.
For a few seconds, he was too paralysed to move.
It was bad, as expected. But also, it made no sense.
He read again.
DEPARTMENT FOR INFORMATION CONTROL
Notice of Official Investigation
Dear Mr Oberman
This letter informs you that you are currently under official investigation in relation to a potential Anti-Health Extremism Offence.
The Offence relates to statements made by you in the Weekly Thinker on November 12th, in relation to an article titled ‘Pothole Epidemic At Crisis Point’.
We have identified a number of serious inaccuracies, misleading statements and references to Proscribed Authors or Organisations in this article.
You will be notified in due course of the outcome of our investigations.
He stood up, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
However much he had expected this, at some point, he had not expected it to be for this.
Potholes?! Potholes that were ripping apart the roads up and down the country in plain sight for all to see? The same potholes which, just a few months back, Ella and Libby and Ted had careered into, flying off the bike and Ted nearly ending up under a bus?
What beagle-eyed, malicious official, what snooping neighbour, what mindless computer algorithm, had reported him for this?
It was almost too ridiculous to believe.
Holding the letter, he paced the room.
His mind, never normally one to get out of control, raced. The penalties for Extremism Offences were severe, opaque and notoriously unchallengeable.
He would be lucky if he was even told what it was.
It could involve anything from a custodial sentence to a whopping fine to a dreaded ‘re-education camp’. It could be months until he found out. If, indeed he ever found out at all.
Perhaps they’d just put him on a list. Never telling, never informing, simply suffocating him still further out of society as they ripped away ever more of his remaining vestiges of citizenship – bank accounts, digital identity documents, medical records – erased. ‘Decitizenry’, it was called.
And the kids? What might it mean for them?
His hands went cold thinking about it and for a minute he felt as if he were going to vomit right there and then.
He stumbled over to the computer. Began typing,
“Consequences for anti-health extre —
But then stopped. Damn it, damn it, damn it. Did he want to create a permanent record of that search? Did he have any other option?
He deleted it, but then typed back in,
“Consequences for anti-health extremism. JOURNALISTIC RESEARCH FOR AN ARTICLE.”
Even now, even consigned to writing for fringe outlets and taking whatever scraps publishers would offer him, he still considered himself a journalist – just about.
The search page came back.
The penalties for Extremism Offences may include custodial sentences, decitizenry and re-education…
Yes yes, he knew all of that. He scrolled on.
In extreme cases the offence will be judged a kin offence and the members of the perpetrator’s family and community may also be subject to criminal penalties.
This was not good. He was going to have to tell Ella.
And then, out of nowhere, tagged on to what he mostly already knew and – at some level – may even have been braced for, this:
The children of those found guilty of extremism offences can be placed in State custody and/or may be sent to juvenile corrective education facilities.
Look out for chapter 11 next week.
Molly Kingsley is a founder of children’s rights campaign group UsForThem.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
“Anti-lockdown protesters flood Melbourne”.
Surprisingly, “Ceefax” covered this. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t mention the police using “beanbag bullets” on a crowd they knew included children.
Anyway, so far as I’m concerned, all those who turned up to protest the wholesale human rights abuses under this totalitarian regime, despite threats, fines, bullets and prison, are heroes.
I attended the rally in Perth yesterday. Estimated attendance 3-4,000. Not large, but larger perhaps than either the organisers or the police anticipated. Cop presence was very light, and non-aggressive.
The local news has reported that ‘about 1000’ attended. Well, I wouldn’t want that reporter handling my tax return.
The RSL (Returned Services League) got into the story somehow. I wasn’t aware of that until I read the story after the protest. The crowd gathered at the War Memorial but marched from there to a difference place for the speeches. So far as I could see there was no disrespect of the Memorial.
I have a friend in Perth – complete branch-covidian as far as I’m aware – won’t engage in any conversation (because lockdowns work you know!). Is that because things aren’t as tyrannical over your side of the country yet do you think? It seems to have to directly affect some poeple before they can be bothered to think about it. Some of us are outraged just because it’s happening anywhere in the world, without being directly affected ourselves in any tangible way (apart from being terminally peed off with muzzles).
Our longest lockdown was three months and that was mid-2020. Masky Mark has kept himself to himself lately. He dropped a few lockdowns in quick succession during the first half of this year, but right now we’re living free. (As free as we can under a needlessly prolonged state of emergency.)
Not too long ago I thought McGowan was playing Hold My Beer with Dan Andrews and Gavin Newsom. He has made a few daft statements about ‘stamping covid out’ – as if it’s a cockroach running across the kitchen floor.
It’s possible, I suppose, that McGowan is smart enough to see that eastern states premiers are just digging themselves in deeper. However I’m not much inclined to credit him with that much wisdom on such scant evidence.
Helpful video showing what’s going on https://youtu.be/z-hThCBi8GQ
Wake up!!!
Just like you Britz during the Blits, we’re keeping our sense of humour.
We may not have George Formby but we do have Matt Wong.
Let the children play!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRNa7S8YZXA
Excellent! He should probably start mirroring to Rumble, BitChute or Odysee.
Have you seen his regular Friday show The People’s Project? Combined with Damian Coory’s The Other Side it’s the best Australian news service online.
Heat pumps are not only inadequate and expensive – they are noisy as F.
Believe me, I’ve owned one. GCH is a gajillion times better in so many ways.
Prime Minister Nut Nuts must be sidelined immediately.
Her champagne socialist Bolleaux Crapola will destroy the UK unless it’s stopped.
P.S. Until the likes of Al Bore, Emma Thompson, Sting, Bono, Soros, Me-Gain, Clooney, O’Bama and the rest of them stop swanning about in private jets while lecturing us about ’emissions’, they can GFT.
Hear hear! Add to that the fact that none of this is going to change the weather anyway!
Noisy, expensive and don’t work. Hmmm, much like the government then, no wonder they like them.
“Medical Apartheid” may come to closely resemble “Racial Apartheid”. In the west, the immigrant population is typically from countries where the governments are corrupt and the grasping leaders look only to their own. As shown by the low uptake of vaccines in migrant-heavy areas that suspicious nature seems to carry over to their new country.
People born and bred in the west are far more likely to trust government and believe it acts in their interests – or at least not deliberately against their interests.
So what happens when the immigrant population turns out to be the major reserve of the unvaccinated and gets treated as second class citizens courtesy of the Vaccine Passport system? At best, I can’t imagine the optics being very “PC”.
On the bright side, such a prospect may help suppress the enthusiasm for the VP, in which case we should have a vote of thanks for the gimlet eye of our newer migrants.
Another fine product from Unexpected Consequences Incorporated (trading as The WhutThaPhuk Company).
DR MIKE YEADON THE MIDAZOLAM MURDERS IN UK – WELCOME TO THE UK (LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY NOT)
https://www.bitchute.com/video/vuMgAsmZulZw/
Stand in South Hill Park Bracknell every Sunday from 10am meet fellow anti lockdown freedom lovers, keep yourself sane, make new friends and have a laugh.
(also Wednesdays from 2pm)
Join our Stand in the Park – Bracknell – Telegram Group
http://t.me/astandintheparkbracknell
Remarkable to see the Beeb even allowing debate about the Holy Snake Oil. Quotes Professor Eleanor Riley:
She said: “We really need to consider, are we just frightening people rather than giving them the confidence to get on with their lives? We’re close to just worrying people now.”
Somebody noticed! It only took 18months! Well done, that Prof!
‘Close’ to just worrying?
Yes it is remarkable to see that on the BBC. I’m certainly not going to read too much in to it, and yet it is there for a purpose.
There is nothing that comes out of that organisation that isn’t designed or contrived for a particular purpose. It long ago ceased to be objective, factual, unbiased and a forum for ideas and discussion. Probably it’s been told by “Number 10” that it should now adjust the volume knob on the fear-transmitter, with a likely quid pro quo being some major concessions on licence fees and so forth. Money probably also comes into it somewhere, as it does with everything the corrupt Johnson government touches.
I see that the appointment of Paul Dacre to be chairman of OFCOM has been delayed/kicked in to the long grass/selection to be rerun. Dacre, ex-Mail, is no lover of the BBC and has said that reforming it (how?) is among his priorities. Bob to a dollar that is some part of the qpg.
I think the BBC is starting to get scared of being caught on the wrong side of this, as so many issues. That licence fee won’t keep paying their salaries should the public rebel en masse.
Nick Triggle on Ceefax has been producing some remarkably well balanced and even sceptical articles about the Chinese Virus for some time. Surprising, but fair play to the chap.
A friend shared a link to that BBC article yesterday. The headline then was:”Is catching Covid now better than more vaccine?” I was very encouraged to see that on the BBC. However, they seem to have neutralised the original heading somewhat!
https://uk.redcon1.com
UK site of the company that dropped Arnie.
One to support, let’s all buy our vitamins from them henceforth.
“Schwarzenegger’s pro-mask position didn’t square with REDCON1 founder Aaron Singerman.
“Making the public declaration, ‘screw your freedoms,’ is dangerous and anti-American,” read the release that was first reported by Daily Wire.
“REDCON1 is a patriotic pro-freedom brand and community. We support everyone’s individual freedoms.”
https://www.hartpury.ac.uk/
Why is Fartbury college still showing the European Union flag in the footer of its website?
Because it’s fully accredited to teach the workings of modern Britain in a sort of veterinary or agricultural learning environment. I imagine that one of the textbooks is “Animal Farm”, and the European connection is evident in the character of Napoleon, leader of les animaux. Rashers for all.
Had anyone heard of Hartbury before this?
Vaguely, as one of several agricultural colleges. Reading through their FAQs, I hope their ideas of animal health and husbandry are rather better than those for Covid that they seek to apply to their
debtorsstudents. A farrago of propaganda and unchewed Government cud; enough to raise a serious colic.HartPury. Yes vaguely as a not very famous agricultural college.
The article in the Sun about the tattoo. Unfortunately you have copied their error in calling it a bar code when it is actually a QR code.
Having an identifier tattoo on a person reminds me of those who were impressed during WW2
If “booster” shots are mandatory, perhaps they will require new QR codes. If that be so, this individual will have more inking than Lydia the Tattooed Lady. Let’s hope he doesn’t wind up as did Drioli in Dahl’s “Skin”.
I imagine that subcutaneous chips will replace the WW2 identifiers, for both saints and sinners (the latter having blood group tattooed, per WW2 Continental military).
“What’s the best way to top up our immunity?” – Now we have some protection, do we need to keep boosting or can nature take its course, asks James Gallagher in BBC News
My god, he’ll get himself sacked speaking such heresy on the BBC!
In the early days of the hysteria, Nick Triggle slipped a few mostly-truthful articles in. His articles would last an hour or two before being rapidly demoted from the front page.
This article was promoted near the top of the front page for near 24 hours yesterday. The narrative is changing. Perhaps we will get a short reprieve before the next phase.
Yes uptick for Nick Triggle too. I suspect some people will never be promoted.
Not so sure the narrative is changing, more like being relaxed briefly prior to the next lockdown.
I felt very proud of all those Austalians who decided to fight back against their tyrannical governments and the political thugs who have made their lives miserable and unbearable for a long time now – I sincerely hope those freedom-loving Australians who protested succeed in tearing down the corrupt and fascistic junta that seems to have a stranglehold on the nation at the moment and appear to be using the virus as an excuse to run the country like a military dictatorship – those protests were just the beginning – this is now irreversible – the Australian government cannot stop this – this is not the end but it is the beginning of the end – every other Australian will see those protests and realise that their is nothing to fear exept fear itself – they have nothing to lose but their chains – the days are numbered for the evil politicians who implented possibly the most cruelest dictats and curfews in the western world – those politicians will get their just deserts and I hope they suffer as much pain and agony as those ordinary Australians who have suffered since the onset of this whole covid insanity.
Truth and justice will always prevail – throughout history tyrants always get their comeuppance.
There will be martyrs before this is over.