No shame, no morals, no lives and possibly no sex
Would a change of government bring about an end to the petty tyranny seemingly endemic in our local councils? Somehow, I doubt it; the machinery of our modern supposed democracy favours the election to power of tin generals and the kinds of people who were once upon a time relegated to curtain-twitching for hours, waiting for the glorious moment a football was accidentally kicked into their gardens so they could rush out bellowing at small children and curse their bloodlines.
Councillors in Ashtead in Surrey—a county filled with Tories, flower arrangers, manicured lawns and little club meetings where those attending can wile away a few hours nodding in agreement with each other on the dire state of the nation—have threatened to prosecute father David Waterman for having the nerve to fly a skull and crossbones flag during his small daughter’s pirate-themed birthday party. A neighbour complained—what a lovely person she or he must be—claiming it breached planning regulations stipulating that only national flags can be flown outside houses without a permit costing ninety-five quid.
tags: bureaucracy, crime, democracy, fines, justice, local authorities, local councils, neighbours, penalties, rubbish
