Direct Democracy

Daveybloke's Cuddly Conservatives have shown further evidence of their commitment to giving the little folk a say by going all of a tizzy over the peace protests in Parliament Square. The sight of a few tents and placards on a day when the nation is meant to be thanking the god of Rowan Williams for a business contract between two minor chunks of tabloid-bait would, of course, constitute a blatant offence against Britishness, civilisation and freedom of speech; and Daveybloke and the Home Secretary have stated in no uncertain terms that somebody ought to do something about it. Since the issue is the convenience of the chinless rather than the rights of the rabble, even the London Haystack has bestirred itself to take an interest, and has ordered the Metropolitan Headbangers and Firearms Club to proceed with all due assertiveness. Unfortunately, perhaps because manpower cuts prevent their mustering the seventy-eight officers necessary for clearing each disruptive influence, the Met have been unable to discover a law under which the protesters can be removed. Daveybloke has pronounced that he does not understand why demonstrators are allowed to sleep in the square; which, given that the law forbidding their doing so has yet to be passed, throws an interesting light on Daveybloke's comprehension of the legislative process.