Theresa May MP: Top five barmy ideas this summer

As it’s August, I thought I’d change my tone slightly for this week’s post, and list the five barmiest ideas I’ve heard this summer. 

1. “Abolish prison!”

No, I’m not joking.  The former Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman, Mark Oaten, does actually think we need to abolish all prisons.  Mr Oaten says that when he was on the Lib Dem front bench, “I would have been crucified as a front line politician for saying this in public and the party would have tumbled in the opinion polls … Prison is not fit for purpose and it’s beyond reform.  We need to abolish it”.  So there we have it: not just the truth of what the Lib Dems really think about criminal justice policy – but a bald confession that they don’t tell voters what they really think.

2. “Let all illegal immigrants stay in Britain!”

Yes, that’s right.  According to one of Labour’s favourite think tanks, the IPPR, half a million illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in Britain.  You might think that this is a silly idea dreamt up by policy wonks destined only for the dustbin.  But during the Labour deputy leadership campaign, the idea won the support of Alan Johnson, and – you’ve guessed it – Harriet Harman.  And the Government stands accused of delivering the policy by the back door anyway.

3. “Beer and sandwiches at the Department of Health!”

Talking of the deputy leadership campaign, one of the comments that wasn’t widely reported speaks volumes about how Labour are destined to fail on the National Health Service.  Alan Johnson, Gordon Brown’s Secretary of State for Health, said the Government had “listened a bit too much to the [British Medical Association] and not enough to unions like Unison. Maybe what we should be doing is bringing the unions in the health service much more closely into the social partnership”.  So under this Prime Minister and Health Secretary, it’s clear: they don’t trust patients, doctors or nurses. They trust the union barons.

4. “Put sixteen year olds on the beat!”

Think I’m making this one up?  Well I’m not: Thames Valley Police this month recruited two sixteen year olds to work on the beat as Police Community Support Officers.  But as Northumbria Police said, how can a sixteen year old seize alcohol from other minors?  Good on these guys for wanting to do the right thing and taking responsibility for their community, but putting sixteen year olds on the beat is hardly going to reassure the public.

5. “Give up Britain’s seat on the Security Council!”

Surely the oddest appointment made by Gordon Brown when he became Prime Minister was the decision to raise Mark Malloch Brown to the peerage and make him a Foreign Office minister.  This is the man who thinks that Britain should sacrifice its seat on the UN Security Council and give it to the European Union.  He says he is “a huge fan” of the idea.  And this is the man who Gordon Brown has put in charge of reforming the United Nations.

What are the most ridiculous things you’ve heard this summer?

Comments

[Yet Another Anon]

Michael Howard MP - Former Conservative Party Leader

Michael Portillo - Former MP
Neither were immigrants, Michael Portillo's mother was Scottish and Michael Portillo was born in Hertfordshire, his father was an immigrant exiled from Spain.

Michael Howard and his mother were both born in Wales, Michael Howard's father was from Romania.

[Yet Another Anon]

>>>>>I couldn't care less whether the UK has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.<<<<<
Permanent members have an absolute veto against anything they don't like going through the Security Council, the US and China would pay the UK far less attention if it ceased to be a permanent member while the UN Security Council remained in existence. Those who aren't permanent members also have to stand for election and there are a limited number of places - if a country is outside the UN Security Council it can't raise issues or object to anything said in meetings of the Security Council, or vote on Security matters - this would significantly reduce the UK's influence in international affairs.

[Serf]

The role of the unions is after the fact and secondary. Their job is to ensure that workers rights are protected, no more no less.

Lets correct that:

Their job is to ensure that their members interests are promoted, no more no less.

There is s subtle difference.

[BLACKDAY]

WITH NULABOUR ABOLISHING CRIME THROUGH THE NON PUNISHMENT OF CRIMINALS.THIER EXCUSE THEY HAVE NO WHERE TO DETAIN THEM.PLUS THE PEOPLE LEFT TO WANDER THE STREETS ARE FROM THE LOW END OF CRIME.MURDER RAPE ETC.THE LIBERALS WANT PRISON ABOLISHED.ARE THEY TRYING TO OUT DO TONIES FANTASIES?