Free Ronnie Biggs

ireland / britain | crime prison and punishment | opinion / analysis Saturday July 04, 2009 13:27 by Sean Matthews- personal capacity - Workers Solidarity Movement

The refusal by British Justice Secretary Jack Straw to grant the great train robber Ronnie Biggs parole exposes the extent of injustice and corruption which underpins the class system.

Despite the Parole board recommending leave, Jack Straw rejected parole on the basis of Ronnie remaining ‘unrepentant’ for his role in the great train robbery in England 1963, in which the robbers made off with £2.6 million - about £40 million at present-day value.

Originally sentenced to 30 years in jail, Ronnie escaped and fled to Australia before fleeing to Latin America. He returned to Britain in 2001. Biggs the 79-year-old has suffered a series of strokes and claims he is unable to walk and can barely communicate.

Like most people, I was struck by the double standards between the recent expenses scandal where politicians received a slap on the wrist for engaging in legalised fraud and that of a frail and ill pensioner who represents a threat to no-one.

I suppose it is nothing new whenever one observes the sense of British justice (injustice) down the years. Indeed, apart from the media frenzy over crime, the vast majority of prisoners are locked away for the crime of capitalism, which produces an inequality in wealth and power.

Take a look at the real gangsters who are running the country from bankers being paid off in the millions to Shell in Rossport, crushing local peaceful resistance with the violent assistance of the state. Take a look at gangster capitalism in operation in Afghanistan and Iraq or property developers rezoning working-class communities in the interests of profit.

As a friend once noted, it seems the rich can rob us all, take our produce and have a ball, but when we take it back they call it crime.