Lead by the Daily Mail

Following the riots and looting across the UK last week it seems that the country is moving closer and closer to a police state, and it appears to be governed by readers of the Daily Mail!

The courts are now starting to hear the cases of those caught looting (not rioting, those people were sure to hide their faces and not be caught), mainly young kids and teenagers who were caught up in the events.  And they are being made to pay, and take the brunt of the government's knee jerk reactions - magistrate courts have been told to give stronger sentences, or refer up to the high court, even for crimes (and don't get me wrong I do believe these are crimes) that would usually receive a community order or a fine, or in some cases wouldn't normally even make it to court. 


A college student who stole bottles of water worth £3.50, a 14 year old told to expect a lengthy sentence for stealing a bottle of lucozade from an already looted store (she even handed herself in and pleaded guilty), and another who received a nine month referral order for sterling a packet of chewing gum! 


The government have authorised the use of water cannon, and possible plastic bullets if there is more unrest, they've given police the power to impose curfews and are considering shutting down mobile networks and social media at times of trouble. If I didn't know better I'd think that I was writing about some kind of oppressive regime such as China or somewhere in the Middle East. The UK has always prided itself as being an upholder of civil and human rights, of freedom of speech and fairness - yet we now find ourselves in a country where people are actually talking seriously about bringing back capital punishment (it will probably be debated in parliament), and already sentencing guidelines have been cast to the winds. 


As a government the Conservatives seem to have lost all sense of proportionality, they are allowing themselves to be swayed by the mob rule of Daily Mail readers and scaremongers.  I'd have hoped that the Liberal Democrats would have brought some reason, but I'm losing all hope of that, and reason seems to be in short supply in England at the moment.