Scattered Clues

Our rulers' continuing attack on the forces of Stalinist centralism enters a glorious new phase with proposals to "reform" or, in Standard English, to break up and privatise, the Forensic Science Service. The FSS is owned by the state and is more or less the only provider of forensic services to the police; this of course means that the FSS is nothing other than (O horror) a public sector monopoly, and must be Bullingdosed into rubble which can be sold off to the highest bidder forthwith. As a result, the criminal cases review commission, which has no powers over private companies, will be unable to do its job and, according to its chair, "cases which would otherwise have been referred back to the appeal courts will not be, and conversely cases which could be concluded quickly will take a great deal longer to conclude". In other words, lots of people who might otherwise not be in jail will stay in jail, and the lawyers will make lots of money. Meanwhile police forces will have to enter into commercial contracts with companies selling the services of forensic scientists, which will certainly be cosy.