John of Argghhh! has invited comment on some of the changes Tony Blair's government is proposing as part of its new anti-terrorism scheme. You may find some information issued by the UK home office here.

One aspect relates to new legislation including chenges to the way warrants are structured. Warrants are court issued documents allowing the police to enter and search private places. In the new legislation the follwing is included at section 25(3):

(2A) The premises referred to in sub-paragraph (2)(a) are

(a) one or more sets of premises specified in the application (in which case the application is for a ‘specific premises warrant’); or
(b) any premises occupied or controlled by a person specified in the application, including such sets of premises as are so specified (in which case the application is for an ‘all premises warrant’).

(4) In sub-paragraph (4) of that paragraph

(a) in paragraph (b), for "premises specified in the application" substitute "premises to which the application relates";
(b) in paragraph (c), at the end insert ", and"; and
(c) after that paragraph insert "(d)in the case of an application for an all premises warrant, that it is not reasonably practicable to specify in the application all the premises which the person so specified occupies or controls and which might need to be searched."

One of the safeguards the American Revolutionaries fought for was the barring of what are called "general warrants" under which a tax collector or other agent of the state would be entitled to enter any place at any time for any purpose to ensure taxes were paid or treasonous meetings were not held or some other means to undermine British rule were not being undertaken. Accordingly, the US Constitution's Bill of Rights states at Article IV:

The Right of the People to be secure In their Persons, Houses, Papers, and Effects, against unreasonable Searches and Seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable Cause, supported by Oath or Affirmation, and particularly describing the Place to be searched, and the Persons or Things to be seized.

Not having to name location in a warrant appears to be one big daddy step towards a nation less free.