After Thatcher and Lawson's economic policies nearly cost me my home and livelihood in the early 90's I have had a deep, deep aversion to everything Tory (so much so, that I take a huge delight in the fact that they keep pressing the self destruct button).
BUT...
This government takes the biscuit when it comes to curtailing civil and personal liberties. I can never remember a time when, as a law abiding citizen (except for brief moments on 'private test tracks' officer) I've felt more repressed by pettyfogging little laws that restrict my freedom. Blunkett was the most authoritarian Home Secretary I can think of and his successor seems no better.
Do we want gangs of drunks rampaging round town centres every weekend? Do we want neighbours whose kids key your car? Of course not, but it seems the original intent of ASBO's is being escalated, probably by curtain twitchers who believe everything they read in the Daily Mail. It also seems that you can be ASBO'ed for having your hedge higher than 2 metres in case you violate somebodies right of amenity (never mind your own right to privacy).
Blimey, ASBO's giving 'guilty until proven innocent' powers to vindictive neighbours, every move you make being on CCTV somewhere and the prospect of ID cards. It may have taken another 20 years past Orwell's prediction but 1984 has finally arrived
Jools
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