When you have laws….
admin on Oct 7th 2009
It’s like buses, isn’t it, if you miss a tale of authoritarian oppression just wait a while – there will be another one along shortly.
I recall Jeremy Clarkson telling a story of being in the USA and being told off by a patrolman for parking his car in ‘the wrong place’. Clarkson pointed out that where his vehicle was caused no obstruction, ‘common sense’ indicated that no problem was being created and that the law, in this case, was illogical. The patrolman replied that ‘When you have laws, you don’t need common sense’. I believe that even Clarkson was stumped for a reply.
So, when you have the Great Book of Rules in your hand you don’t need common sense, or initiative, or empathy, or trust. You certainly wouldn’t consider questioning the edict that led to your conclusion. ‘Not my job, guv’ is the mentality in evidence in situations such as this. In fact all that is really required is a computer on legs – an automaton.
There is a new chapter in the seemingly infinite saga of Authoritarian Oppression of the individual. It revolves around the story of two police women detectives and their mutual child care arrangement. Quite simply they found it convenient to take turns looking after both their young children. It suited their working shift patterns, was simple to manage and kept both children safe and happy.
But someone unknown was not happy to see this and reported it. With the promptness of action for which government departments are famous – when it suits them – the rule book was checked and lo, under the huge section headed Thou Shalt Not, a suitable infringement was quickly identified. A minister of The Book of Rules was despatched to explain that this arrangement was Not Permitted. Why? Because there was a mutual benefit. But, one might naively protest, that is the whole point. However, where I say benefit, The Man sees pound signs. To him benefit = reward and reward means something that should be paid for. It also means something that should be policed.
Quote: Reward is not just a case of money changing hands. The supply of services or goods and, in some circumstances, reciprocal arrangements can also constitute reward.
So there we are. Because you are getting a service for free that someone else would charge for, it’s a reward. Because someone else’s child is involved, you need to be registered.
Next time my neighbour helps me fix my broken fence I will check whether I should pay HMRC. Should I ever see a five year old drowning in a river, I will get a CRB check before diving in. And make no mistake, these ludicrous situations are not happenstance or progress. They are entirely the results of this Labour Government and a set of ministers who trust no-one and can see no way of improving society other than through half-baked and ill-considered laws. Imagination they have none, and being so afflicted therefore assume the same applies to everyone else.
How cheering it would be to learn that the inspector involved returned to her office and said ‘I have had to make a decision according to the rules, but something is wrong here and requires attention’. I suspect that even if this had happened, management response would have been along the lines of ‘Not your job, mate’.
Control-freakery is the phrase that comes to mind. And given that New Labour was created by people with just that attitude to the people of this country it is hardly surprising.
Filed in Government