Ben Taskers Blog

Its definitely been one of those weeks

Im on the train home and i can definitely say its been one of those weeks. Thanks to the bike breaking down I have been commuting by train. This means earlier mornings so i am utterly knackered. Everything seems to be going wrong this week which leaves me with a feeling of "Why the fuck do i bother?"

To top it off the home office are part way through a ten week, nationwide test purchase hit. The government seems to be far too lazy to try and cure the problem. Rather than educating the kids and stopping the parents sending their kids out with enough money for vodka, the Home office instead tries to catch retailers out with some pretty dirty tricks (they have been known to have a dodgy looking guy stand near the champagne whilst the kid tries to get served). In the process they are wasting a lot of your taxes. But if they can hit ten people for £80 then they have raised nearly a grand.

I was reading earlier this week about a councillor (with a spotless record) who also runs an offlicense. Seven years ago he called the police three times about a youth who was getting very rowdy outside his shop. The police didnt turn up, so he went outside and asked the youth to move on. This kid then threatened him with his fist, so the guy pushed him away with one hand and clipped him around the ear with the other. His wife came out to intervene and the kid spat in her face and called her a fat bitch.
The police arrived the next day and told the shopkeeper that the kid had complained and that he would be charged with assault! Seven years (and more than £10000 legal fees) later a magistrate has decreed that the shopkeeper used reasonable force. He awarded legal fees of £1500.

The fact that this could even have happened shows what a mollycoddling nanny state Britain has become. We have long since passed the point where criminals are better protected than we are. No matter the circumstances I could not use bodily force to protect a two year old from harm. Whilst I do not believe the use of firearms should be made acceptable, steps do need to be taken so that we can protect our possesions and loved ones without being criminalised ourselves.

Although I doubt it will come to pass, hopefully Browns Labour will see this come about. More likely however is a tax raise.