A town is set to become the first in Britain to ban smoking from its streets.Shorn of any character by its sub-governmental planning, the new town which likes to pretend it's a city has finally evolved to be the godawful nightmare that the state-led nature of its conception destined it to be.
Councillor Paul Bartlett, 50, wants to create a new bylaw to outlaw smoking in any open place or public street in the market town of Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire.
The ban, which would be the first of its kind in the country, would be enforced by PCSOs, traffic wardens and members of the public.
Milton Keynes. A town containing real people, with real lives, run by a bunch of suits who have made the place a laughing stock for over three decades.
And are determinedly committed to doing so for the foreseeable future, it would seem.
Like Leggy, I do so hope they go through with this, because we really need Milton Keynes to continue to embarrass itself in order for the laughter to reverberate around other municipal buildings and save us all from the same level of bonkers.
If you live there, just consider this as 'taking one for the team'. With my sympathies, natch.
23 comments:
If I remember rightly, through my pensioner's haze, Milton Keynes houses the HQ of the Open University. So much for sense then. I've never regarded my degree from them any more than wallpaper - but it was costly wallpaper.
For anyone looking for Milton Keynes---- Depending on where you are it's only a few minutes drive to the North, South, East or West of sanity but only the insane would want to go there.
At least the young people interviewed -- aged 17 and 18 -- thought it was ridiculous.
Don't the councillors know who banned smoking on the streets during the Second World War?
There's a comment on the Mail article that belongs in your collection -
"When were these people given the divine right to ban something that is legal.- jan , somerset, 29/6/2011 14:42" === Something is legal until it is made .....illegal..... simple as that! Personally, I would like to see a day when, say, on Ash Wednesday (good name), it was permitted to beat up smokers in the street. These people cost me a fortune in tax for their lung cancer. Better to bash them out of their misery while thay are still healthy-ish. OR..... double the income tax for smokers ( but please still have the Smokers Bash Day....that should be a National Holiday and a National Sport). I see smokers now in the street and I have to restrain myself from whacking them... !!!!!
- Joey12, London, 30/6/2011 00:20
A future gas-chamber guard there, for sure.
I have never smoked. Just never really interested me. But just as I always used to wear a seat belt until it became compulsory, I am increasingly feeling the need to buy a pack of twenty. It is quite incredible how the "I don't personally approve of something it should therefore be banned" attitude is so pervasive.
I find youngsters who cannot bring themselves to look up from their i-phone mildly ridiculous, but I am neither calling for a Facebook-free zone, nor smashing them in the face when the nearly bump into me.
This creeping fascism is always laughed at when it starts. I'll give it six months before other towns start to follow, and a year or two until such measures are common.
Hiya Mr P,
Yup Councilor Barkinglett has just been shouting on 5 live, ferociously ranting about, saliva on butts, how healthy everyone is in New York and cheeeeldrens eyesight in push chairs, apparently smokers are blinding the toddlers of MK.
Gawd help us smokers if this takes off, the righteous will be hanging us from lamp posts while the sheeple cheer and clap!
I`m getting worried!
According to today's Telegraph, it's Stony Stratford that wants the ban not Milton Keynes, although Stony Stratford is near it. Can anyone enlighten me on this one please?
John Gray
I'm not too worried on this one anyway, as there will be further damage to hospitality outlets with people taking their custom elsewhere or staying home. In a nutshell, it's yet more economic suicide.
John Gray
I wouldn't worry about Milton Keynes, it's always had an inferiority complex, It's always trying to 'announce' itself. From what I've known of those from there and who work there, it'll go down like a lead ball!
Yes, it is Stony Stratford being talked about. Pity, it's a nice place but infected by the complexes of MK.
The article says the bylaw would need to be approved by MK Council, so Stony Stratford is presumably part of the MK conurbation.
Bartlett has previous for being somewhat of an arse:-
http://cmis.milton-keynes.gov.uk/CmisWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=22975
An answer for those concerned about smokeless Stony Stratford, perhaps shortly to be known as Stony Broke Stratford; move your bar to Brum, where John Hemming MP and others are campaigning to get smokers back into pubs.
That's my high-spending holiday in Stony Stratford cancelled then.
I read the article in the DT this morning, and by lunchtime there were hundreds of comments. To my surprise, the comments were overwhelmingly anti-ban and pro freedom of choice. - I would guesstimate that something like 95% of the comments were pouring scorn on the bansturbators, with the odd, lonely comment (rapidly shot down) from an anti-smoker. It was really quite heartening. Some good comments, too. Check it out and cheer up your day!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8607067/Stony-Stratford-set-to-ban-smoking-in-all-public-places.html
Nisakiman: It's mostly the case with comments on this issue. The vast majority are pro choice. I've no idea where ASH do there surveys, but knowing what they're like it's probably 100% tobacco control employees. (but one of them is breaking free according to Angela Harbutt)
"Just When You Thought Milton Keynes Had Stopped Being Ridiculous."
I never thought that.
This is only a Town Council proposal by Cllr Paul Bartlett. He's one of the busybodies who are unelectable at higher level.
On the subject of MK though, they are playing host to the Northamptonshire Steelbacks cricket team. It seems county boundaries are irrelevant for the artificial city.
I look forward to the day AFC Wimbledon hand them a good hiding.
You absolute twat
Anon @ 23:24: This is what I love about blogging. Meeting people with such considered and erudite views.
Fuck you very much for your visit. :)
I live in Stony Stratford so don't knock it please...As someone who used to smoke, I can understand the urge to do so. Unfortunatley, many people who smoke have no thought for others, flinging lighted butts out of car windows etc.etc... I knew someone who set fire to his pick-up truck doing just that. Leave Milton Keynes alone!!!!
Anon: Many of us here have been to Stony Stratford ... a couple of months ago in fact. It's a lovely place, we agree. The problem is that you have stumbled into a tongue in cheek post which is just one of a series on this issue. The rest can be read under the Stony Stratford tag. I think that if you do you will realise that your comment is a bit off topic. ;)
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