"Nanny's local councils have come up with another wheeze to keep themselves in the luxury to which they have become accustomed. This time they have hit upon the idea of using legislation (the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005) to force people who hand out leaflets in the street to buy licences.
Clever eh?
Now, I know that corporations who hire people to hand out gazillions of leaflets advertising their unwanted products can be deemed to be a nuisance (given that most of these leaflets are thrown into the bin). However, the legislation will also apply to anyone who hands out leaflets, even those who are looking for their lost cat.
Let us not forget that the origins of the "free" press (a scourge of governments throughout the ages) were the Pamphleteers.
Today the modern "Pamphleteers" are the small-scale organisations eg; Women's Institutes, comedy clubs, student societies and political campaigners. These organisations (eg if operating in Basildon) are forced to pay £350 to hand out leaflets on a Saturday, those who operate in Wolverhampton are being charged £262 per distributor.
Approximately 45 local authorities in England now insist that people have to buy a licence to hand out leaflets.
The councils claim that this is a litter related issue.
Errmmm..if people throw the leaflets on the street then surely it is for them to be fined, not the pamphleteer?
The reality in fact is that it is a great way to make money, and to restrict the freedom of speech of their hard pressed citizens.
Ker Farking Ching!
Councils are the enemies of the people."
Following on from that, The Manifesto Club have stated that in certain towns (including that bastion of liberty and wonderfully louche behaviour, Brighton - my home town:)) have banned unlicensed leaflets altogether:
"It has become almost impossible to hand out leaflets in many town and city centres. Local councils including Brighton, Leicester and Leeds have introduced leafleting zones, within which you have to pay a fee (and often wear a badge) if you want to flyer.
These rules have been catastrophic for grassroots organisations, including village halls, comedy clubs and nightclubs, who rely on leafleting to inform local people about their events."
As I have stated many times (repeating the same message with the depressing inevitability of an unloved season) councils are the enemies of the people!
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Of course, these new rules, charges and other ‘litter’ related matters will not apply when these cunts start canvassing before their next local elections.
ReplyDeleteWhat we see here is a sinister attack on free speech. Cuntcils have realised at last despite all their corporate posturing and childish propaganda they are as popular with their surfs as a turd in a swimming pool.
ReplyDeleteThe way things are going there'll be an insurrection before long and both local and national government fear it.
Oops, sorry for typo, "surfs" should read "serfs" - forelock dully tugged! Does anyone know whether these snidy charges apply to "Big Issue" sellers? I doubt Big Issue is very complimentary to councils and government, and those selling it need the income.
ReplyDeleteWhen the current government frooze council tax(rip off tax) the Hi-Viz brigade and their officers(sic) were upset.....These new charges, and indeed many of the so called fines the local councils so love,are merely cynical ways to beat the rip off tax freeze.
ReplyDeleteFor any local council that wants to reduce overheads.....Cut down on Hi-Viz; it does not give you power and many of us now, just laugh at it!
This might be just a bastard way of scrounging up a bit more money, but I suspect something more sinister.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that anyone applying for a leafleting permit will have to show an example of what they will be distributing. And I suspect that only ‘approved’ content will be allowed.
Try getting a permit to distribute leaflets advertising a rally against the new leaflet distribution charges!
So Chuggers get away with it and people trying to hand out invites to a charity event don't.
ReplyDeleteGreat.
"The councils claim that this is a litter related issue."
ReplyDeleteI feel a legal test case would be interesting! As Ken has pointed out, how do you go after the purveyor, when it's the purchaser who would (potentially) do the littering? Are they going to ban garages from selling fuel in case drivers cause pollution?
Why not ban all public servants in case they behave like dickheads...
@Tonk
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, council Gauleiters' silly Hi-Vis would be a blessimg. I certainly wouldn't apply for a licence if I wanted to distribute leaflets - I'd just move to a new spot if I saw any Hi-Viz looming in the distance.
Another way to defeat the cuntcils would be to give out leaflets from private land, with the owner's blessing of course.
Remember, if challenged by some cuntcil apparatchik you don't have to identify yourself. Cuntcils' rules have no legal standing and you can't be made to give your details. Keep schtum, don't say a word, just walk away. If he/she follows you just jump on the nearest bus - don't escape in your own vehicle as you could be traced.