Mark’s campaign notepad

Full body scans for ordinary travellers because the security services can’t do the job properly and talk to each other? Why make us all suffer even more and tie up billions of pounds and man (woman) hours on security searches which don’t seem to work anyway? Umar Abdulmutallab was on terrorist watch lists but managed to walk on board with explosive liquids and a detonator. 

I understand the big reason for the paranoia about air travel but why do we focus so much on this and ignore so many of the other obvious targets? The security on ferries and Eurotunnel is extremely lax and randomly applied compared with air travel. Thousands of people regularly gather at sporting events, concerts and shopping centres with trifling levels of security. I have to ask, when did anyone ever actually get stopped at an airport with a dangerous liquid on them? Those that have tried it seem to get through, unless there are instances which we don’t get to hear about. Each new procedure seems to be introduced after the horse has bolted. As transport expert Christian Wolmar says in the Guardian, airport security always lags one step behind. 

More sinister is the spin on these time consuming security procedures which tells us what we OUGHT to think about it , implying that we’re almost in cahoots with terrorists if we object – “I shouldn’t mind waiting an extra half an hour to get on board because it’s going to stop nasty terrorists blowing my plane up”. Well. I do mind, and I’m far from convinced the extra waiting and hassle IS going to stop the next terrorist act.

And while we’re on the subject of unnecessary personal interference  for “security” reasons, don’t let’s pretend ID cards would have made any difference to the case of Abdulmutallab.  ”Security forces” knew EXACTLY who he was and still let him get on the plane.