Nanny Knows Best

Nanny Knows Best
Dedicated to exposing, and resisting, the all pervasive nanny state that is corroding the way of life and the freedom of the people of Britain.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Nanny's Polio Epidemic

Nanny's Polio EpidemicNanny is getting very restless these days about those of her "charges" who, despite all of her stern warnings, still insist on smoking.

Nanny feels that if they won't listen to her, then firm action will have to be taken in order to ensure that they stop this habit.

Nanny's best new friend, Patricia Hewitt the health secretary, is desperate to please Nanny. As such, she is contemplating the idea of a blanket ban on smoking in all public places.

This would mean that all pubs and restaurants would have to obey the ban.

Now this hardline stance, coming from a politician, may seem a tad unusual. After all politicians, especially those in Labour, have very few principles; and tend to "go with the flow", rather than set themselves up for potential failure.

Needless to say the idea and driving force behind this policy is not really Hewitt's, but Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer.

Sir Liam has rather a "fixed view" about smoking, he likens it to polio.

Now this is rather an odd view for a man of medicine I would have thought. After all, polio is an infectious disease that is indiscriminate in who it attacks. Only those who have been inoculated can feel confident that they will not succumb to it.

Smoking, on the other hand, is a social custom that is voluntarily undertaken. Those that do not wish to smoke, simply do not smoke.

However, mere facts like these do not deter men on a mission like Donaldson; ignoring many other health problems, Donaldson said a ban was the most pressing issue in public health:

"If we have to do one big thing, that has to be to eradicate tobacco like we eradicated polio."

So much for freedom of choice!

I assume that once Donaldson and his puppet, Hewitt, have eliminated smoking they will go after drinks and food.

That would be the next logical step.

Needless to say, since the proposals were reported in the press, Nanny has tried to pretend that this is merely a consultation exercise.

However, for Nanny "consultation" means badger and bully people until the mood shifts in her favour.

The deal is done, and the decision already made.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:58 AM

    I can't wait until we get our government-issued food-flavoured synthetic nutrition packets. I'll never have to cook again!

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  2. Todays Telegraph carries an article in which the gist is that the government will use 'informers' to ensure the blanket ban of smoking in public places occurs. Informers will be used to report companies that do not comply etc. Ok, as a non-smoker I can see the health benefits in stopping people smoking but the use of 'informers' sorry, 'intelligence led enforcement' in GovSpeak leaves a truly nasty taste and smacks of police state. Next: informers reporting overweight people for passing too near Burger King ?

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  3. Anonymous9:13 PM

    We all know if nanny really wanted to rid England of tobacco she could stop its sale, af people wanted that bad they could bring their own into the country then those who really want to can. As a non smoker I would like really smoke free social places, Canada has similar laws and their non smoking places are real busy, it seems the majority do not want smoke spoiling their evening.

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