Mandy plans the cut-off

Speaking at C&binet, Peter Mandelson has announced his intention to press on with plans to let media companies have people thrown off the internet. In an act of craven cowardice, though, it won't happen until Labour are likely to be out of power:

The effectiveness of the warning letters to persistent illegal filesharers will be monitored for the first 12 months. If illegal filesharing has not dropped by 70% by April 2011, then cutting off people's internet connections could be introduced three months later, from the summer of that year.

Enough to have Dick Geffen invite him back to the yacht, but without the nasty having-to-face-the-European-Court-ruling attached.

Mandy, of course, is convinced he's being reasonable:

"If we reach the point of suspension for an individual, they will be informed in advance, having previously received two notifications – and will have the opportunity to appeal," Mandelson added. "The British government's view is that taking people's work without due payment is wrong and that, as an economy based on creativity, we cannot sit back and do nothing as this happens."

Does the British Government have a view on using unfair legislation in order to artificially inflate the price of online sales?