Bad Laws: An explosive analysis of Britain's Petty Rules, Health and Safety Lunacies, Madcap Laws and Nit-Picking Regulations.

(Paperback)

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Over the past thirteen years, New Labour has made us wade through a quagmire of petty rules, health and safety lunacies, madcap laws and nitpicking regulations. We have been snooped on, hectored and hounded by state nannies from cradle to grave, all because government and its agencies have nothing better to do than to interfere in our lives.

It would not be so bad if the Government ran the country well, but we have to put up with high taxes, street crime, late and dirty trains, the unjustified and disproportionate use of fines and charges, bloody-minded parking restrictions, excessive public sector waste, preposterous European directives, useless and unaccountable council officials and multi-culturalist busybodies.

In this explosive and groundbreaking new book, Philip Johnston makes a stand and exposes the 'Bad Laws', those irritating laws, regulations and Whitehall idiocies that make life in Britain the day-to-day nightmare that it is today.

He covers the following laws amongst many others:

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) or "snooper's charter", allows a wide range of government bodies and quangos to watch over people, check on what they are doing and monitor their communications.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable People Act...which will require 11 million people working with children or the elderly to obtain a certificate allowing them to continue to do so yet will be easily evaded by those few individuals who are a danger to children.

The Hunting Act. More foxes have died every year since the Act came into force.

The Children Act. All 25,000 state and private nursery schools, child minders and playgroups are required to follow a new statutory framework dubbed the "nappy curriculum".

Smoking Ban - It has interfered both with personal freedom and with commercial enterprise.

Housing Act - which brought us Hips in the midst of a property price slump.

European Arrest Warrant - which allows British citizens to be extradited to another jurisdiction to stand trial for an offence that is not a crime in the UK.

Dangerous Dogs Act, which became synonymous with hasty and ill-thought-out legislation.

Firearms Act which wiped out the sport and livelihoods of thousands of law abiding people.

War Crimes Act, pushed through using the Parliament Act but which has resulted in not a single conviction.

Religious Hatred Act which made a bad thought a crime.

Numerous Health and safety laws of every description.

The Licensing Act which made it an offence to play a piano in a pub without authorisation.

Reviews

For 13 years, a war has been waged on British liberties, traditions and even religious conviction. Philip Johnston sets out, with wit and style, the full horror of what has occurred.

Sharp and persuasive. - Good Book Guide

Elect no MP or local councillor who cannot produce a well-thumbed copy. - Contemporary Review

Author Bio

Philip Johnston has been with the Daily Telegraph for 20 years. He is currently assistant editor and lead writer and was previously home affairs editor and chief political correspondent. He lives in London.