Politics OnLine UK

The UK Sun newspaper has reported that Piglet, of Winnie the Pooh fame, has been banned from the benefits department at Dudley Council. I refuse to comment, if it isn't self evident that isn't my problem.

Meanwhile, cutting to the fast track, the UK government is pushing ahead with a total smoking ban except in 'smoking carriages' - rooms that pubs would set aside with no bar staff, no food and no drink, where smokers could simply go for a cigarette before returning to the bar.' and, of course, 'Private members' clubs would also be excluded (which somehow thoroughly pleases me in a mischievous Machiavellian way).' Note - no proposal is being offered to ban this lethal drug, though (and yes, world weary sigh, I am a smoker).

Staying on the fast track, Identity Cards are due to return to Parliament this month for their third reading. It has already been admitted that they will not reduce crime, terrorism, Identity Fraud or any of the raft of problems we face today, but they will, definitely, help the government keep tabs on us and are going to cost each of us a small fortune, including paying to update them when our circumstances change. It is worth reflecting on the number of things we can be criminalised for if we do nothing. Scrapping a car and not submitting a SORN statement, not changing the address on your driving licence when you move, and so on. How will it be when this applies to changing our doctor or dentist?

Signing for credit/debit transactions will cease as an option from February 14 next year so we now have four months in which to memorise and use all those wonderful PIN numbers they send us. It need not be said how silly it is to use the same PIN number for all your cards, though in my neck of the woods we all do it of course. I was in a Post Office the other week and the old chap in front of me dutifully put his card in the machine and on being told to enter his PIN number thoughtfully said them out loud as he tapped them in. I know it is disgraceful to be old, I should know, I'm 54, but I did feel for the poor old duffer.

Meanwhile the Tories are desperate to reinvent themselves, a changed party to change Britain. I'll spare you any links. I am just left wondering what on Earth they are going to inflict on us next? I know of no one in my circle of friends and acquaintances who is not driven to distraction, apathy and despair by the ever increasing interference of government in our daily lives, the erosion of anything remotely resembling freedom and the lies, spin and self aggrandisement of those in power.

Iraq (remember Iraq?) is still the war that never was. It was, and remains, an invasion which is about as democratic as it gets these days it seems.

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