Nick Hogan: The BBC Wakes Up (Briefly)

Even Comrade Beeb has woken from her righteous slumber this evening.

Page last updated at 20:32 GMT, Wednesday, 10 March 2010

A former pub landlord who flouted the smoking ban has been released from prison after a campaign to raise funds to secure his release.

See, Auntie? It's still a 'live' issue. There are large sections of the country who are deeply opposed to Labour's anti-democratic and absurd legislation nearly three years on.

We voted, as a nation, for a partial ban. What we got was an affront to democracy, in the form of an assault on civil liberties and property rights, dressed up as a protection of an infantilised public from a negligible perceived harm.

And more importantly, it was only ever demanded by state-funded fake charities and quangoes.

The rest of Europe offers choice. Why should the UK be so very much out of step?

Prohibition is a narcotic. Those who advocate the marginalisation of others whose life choices differ from their own are addicted to something far more dangerous than nicotine.

The smoking ban was merely a gateway drug to more offenses against personal liberties. Against living our lives the way we choose to live them in favour of a manner dictated to us by self-appointed 'superiors'.

I'll say it again ... whatever your view on smoking, you cannot pick and choose which liberties you wish to defend unless you are willing to allow government to intrude on every aspect of your life.

Beer lovers and burger munchers, please take particular note. The rest of you, be prepared as prohibition addicts are always on the lookout for more extreme highs.

The campaign to pay Hogan's fines was launched by blogger Anna Raccoon with the help of fellow libertarian blogger Old Holborn, who set up an account so people could donate online.

Within 36 hours more than £5,000 had been raised and by the end of last week donations totalled more than £9,000.

That's correct, Comrade. It wasn't a huge corporation which highlighted this. Just a couple of bloggers in the small corner of the internet dubbed 'the blogosphere'. Probably not even the most popular area of that little hideaway, either. After all, there is little mention of Cheryl Cole or John fucking Terry here.

So, multiply that thought. Many, many times over. And you have a depth of feeling that demands more than a perspex shelter open to the elements (which DEFRA would ban for pigs), for those who enjoy a perfectly legal product.

So how about reporting the views of a significant tranche of the public, eh BBC? Enough of the execrable nonsense that you usually publish.

Tonight's article could be the start of a whole new concept for you. That being a true reflection of opposition to government diktat.

And, err, Dave Cameron, are you listening? It might be politically expedient of you to ditch pharma-funded shadow health muppet, Andrew Lansley, and take note of a public who would really prefer their country not to be transformed into a mirror of 1980s East Germany, if it's not too much trouble.

When you're finally finished whoring yourself on Heart FM and Absolute Radio, amongst others, of course.