They're Not Even Pretending Anymore

May seems such a long time ago now, doesn't it?

Over the last decade, thousands of new rules and regulations have amassed on the statute book. And it is our liberty that has paid the price. Under the cover of pretending to act in our best interest, the state has crept further and further into people’s homes and their private lives. That intrusion is disempowering. It needs to change.

The culture of state snooping has become so ingrained that we must tackle it with renewed vigour. And, especially in these difficult times, entrepreneurs and businesses need our help. We must ensure we are not tying them up in restrictive red tape.

So what have the coalition been doing about it this week?

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said it was time to try a new approach.

"The evidence is clear that packaging helps to recruit smokers, so it makes sense to consider having less attractive packaging. It's wrong that children are being attracted to smoke by glitzy designs on packets."

See that state rolling back, leaving restrictive state-imposed red tape littered in its wake?

Following a consultation with representatives from the catering industry, including fast food restaurants, the Government will publish details of their plans for calorie displays in the spring.

Yep, back, back, back it keeps trundling.

Supermarkets are to be banned from selling wine, beer and spirits below a national "minimum price" under plans to be unveiled by ministers.

The formula, aimed a clamping down on "loss leader" deals, means that no outlet will be able to sell any alcoholic drink for below the cost of duty on the product, plus VAT.

If they do they are likely to lose their licence to sell alcohol as well as face fines.

Back to exactly the same intrusiveness and government prodnosery that was prevalent before the election, and that we were promised an end to.

Why the fuck do we bother with the expensive charade of polling stations, ballot papers, and overtime bonanzas for local authority officers, only to return a carbon copy bunch of self-righteous centre left MPs every time, whichever box is crossed?

Two-faced, venal, arrogant, hypocritical, gullible, finger-wagging, dangerous, dictatorial shitsticks, the lot of them.

Change? What fucking change?