The Minister of the Interior will later today announce plans for police to ‘frame and shame’ young people with behaviour problems. This will, apparently, involve police following identified trouble makers and filming them at every possible opportunity in addition to constant stop and search operations and letting them know that they have been identified by locals as unpleasant little oiks in need of some high quality harrassment.
All very well (in fact, I’m broadly in favour…sod it, I’m actually frothing at the mouth with righteous anticipation), but what happens when Gordon tells Jacqui to stop messing about with kids and get after the people who really need harrassing? Drinkers, fat people, smokers, anyone who would rather be seen dead than squeeze into lycra and an exceptionally silly little hat for a spot of peddle pushing…could they be next? Or maybe move it up a level? Lefties, righties, trade unionists, bolshie buggers, bloggers? The potential is endless.
It starts in one place, and leads to another. The Thin End of The Wedge.
Tags: frame and shame, jacqui smith, liberty, privacy, uk
