Can You post a link to source this please?

It does indeed sound a huge amount

Cheers

PUK (A)

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/5351796.stm

"Why couldn't they give this money to disabled people instead to create 'real' 'equality-of-opportunities' and 'inclusive' welfare reforms?"

FREEOURPEOPLE

Colin Revell

Cost includes mass (ab)use of Criminal Records Bureau database for local people.

Source:  http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/214/214230_18000_probed_to_keep_labour_safe.html

Friday, 26th May 2006
18,000 probed to keep Labour safe
John Scheerhout

CLEANERS, hotel staff, caterers, and shopworkers are among 18,000 people undergoing rigorous background checks to try to prevent a terrorist attack at Labour's September conference in Manchester.

Most are Labour delegates. But hundreds of people working within the "secure island" surrounding Manchester International Convention Centre, G-Mex and the Midland and Radisson Hotels will also be investigated before getting accreditation for the conference.

The checks, as part of a £4.2m security operation in the city, include investigations into criminal convictions, are part of a huge security operation to protect the government.

** More general info about abuse of CRB checks:
Database Danger in  http://flag.blackened.net/af/res/resist85.html (second article).

See also:
 http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/206/206101_conference_cost_could_top_4m.html

Tuesday, 28th February 2006
Conference cost could top £4m
John Scheerhout
POLICE security for the Labour Party September conference in Manchester could cost £4.2 million.

Greater Manchester Police has submitted a detailed plan to the Home Office on how they want to throw a ring of steel around part of the city between September 24 and 29.

The money will be spent on creating a secure island around the Manchester International Convention Centre and the adjacent G-Mex. Funding for the massive security operation will be met by the Home Office through a grant, not by GMP or the police authority.

Sorry - I missed reproducing the second half of the article at:
 http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/214/214230_18000_probed_to_keep_labour_safe.html

Perimeter

It includes a "ring of steel" - 7ft-high metal fences and concrete barricades on the perimeter.

Special cameras which instantly read numberplates and identify suspects - usually for road offences but for other crimes, too - will be stationed on main roads into the city, overseen by the police force's plane and helicopter.

A thousand officers from Greater Manchester Police will patrol the "island" on each of the conference's four days.

GMP has submitted its plans to the Home Office, which traditionally pays for policing at the government party's annual conference.

The Home Office has not yet sanctioned the plans.

It cost £8m to police the two-week Commonwealth Games in 2002.


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