In a rare and welcome display of liberty from this most authoritarian of Governments, comes news that the Home Secretary/ Justice Department is to repeal restrictions from demonstrating outside Parliament. First mooted in last Sunday's Observer, this was confirmed by Jack Straw yesterday.
Whilst Mr Brian Haw et al can be a bit extreme, and the green in Parliament Square does sometimes look like Central Park, New York, during the 1930s recession, it surely is a tribute to British democracy that such a demonstration is allowed.
In a strange way, it is wonderful that our Parliamentarians can be abused and shouted at by megaphone as they leave the Commons through Carriage Gate. Far from being a sign of weakness, it shows that we democrats have nothing to fear. For this reason, it was shameful that some months ago, Sir Ian (Blair by name, Blair by nature) ordered the Metropolitan Police at the dead of night to sweep away Mr Haw, his compatriots and his tents. It was all the more pleasurable to see them all re-emerge some weeks later. The fact that the eccentric Mr Haw and others have not only defeated the legal system, but have now forced the Government into a retreat, is really an amazing spectacle and deserves to be celebrated.
PS I realise that our esteemed Editor of ConservativeHome takes an entirely different view on this matter and will choke over his Coco Pops when he reads this. I await his response with some trepidation.
