John Redwood

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John Redwood: Freedom, fairness and tolerance

Jack Straw is one of the few Labour government members who believes in Parliament, and tries to play by the rules by bringing things to the House that ought to be debated there. I can believe that he does value the British virtues of freedom, fairness and tolerance himself.

The problem is the government he serves clearly does not.

This government has done more than any other peace time government to damage and remove our freedoms - giving unprecedented powers to functionaries to come into our homes, spy on us at home and on the streets, lock people up without trial, extort money from our pension funds and through the Council Tax, and make so many more people dependent on benefits.

It has been far from fair, making the south pay so much more whilst visiting upon the south of England many things we do not want, starting with regional government and going through congestion to endless extra development without the infrastructure to make it work.

It has been far from tolerant, forcing a narrow and unpleasant political correctness on everyone, and making the law enforcement authorities take thought crimes more seriously than many anti social crimes like burglary, shop lifting and casual vandalism.

So one cheer for Jack’s speech today. Could he now please get the Cabinet to adopt these British values, and start using them to sort out their policies and the way they run their over mighty rip off government? The way they run the government for sure is not the British way.