Over the last couple of days, some odd ideas have immerged from the UK Government.
It is talking about introducing the requirement for sea anglers to obtain licences to fish. The reason given - to protect fish stocks. Have you ever heard such a load of claptrap? What is the total annual catch of all rod fishing in the UK, compared to that of one North Sea trawler? Most fishermen only manage to drown a few lugworms. How is the legislation going to be enforced? Will there be fishery officers patrolling the beaches and jetties to arrest kids who haven’t got a licence? Let’s be realistic.
As I type this blog the Government is sending out mixed messages over the trial of a very watered-down “Megan’s Law”. The Government is, or it might not be, floating the idea to trial in three areas, a pilot scheme giving the public the right to find out from the police whether there are paedophiles living in their area - but the paedophiles would not be identified. The objective being, parents would be more vigilant if they knew there was a paedophile living in their area. Experts are appalled by the proposal, as it would result in known paedophiles going into hiding - unsupervised by the police and probation service they would be more dangerous. And in any case parents should be vigilant, irrespective of whether there is a paedophile living in the area. Whether the scheme will be introduced is now in question, as in less than a day the Government is backtracking.
At the weekend the Royal Navy gave permission for the fifteen sailors and marines released by the Iranians to sell their stories to the press. Monday the Defence Secretary Des Browne banned all serving military personnel from selling their stories to the media.
Can you hear the creaks of a Government under stress starting to fall apart?
1 comment:
Thanks for writing this.
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