I find the powers that we have granted to the authorities in this emergency deeply distasteful.They are time limited, and necessary to slow the spread of disease, nevertheless they remain offensive to our sense of liberty. Whilst most of us will shrug and simply get along as best we can, I have a suspicion that some people are rather relishing it.
I am in receipt of emails from constituents keen to report that their neighbours have driven somewhere to walk, or to walk their dog, rather than confining themselves to their immediate vicinity. Others have complained to me that the supermarkets haven’t closed-off the aisles to non-essential goods, enabling customers to purchase not just food, but stationery, clothing… and even liquor.
Gadzooks! What sort of mind-set is that?
These correspondents remind me of Mr Hodges, the Air-Raid Warden in Dad’s Army, he had an important and responsible role and a measure of authority to go with it, but wasn’t he just so enjoying it.
Mr Yeatman, the Verger, was another like-minded soul, but with just a little less weight to throw around.
It is important to resist the totalitarian mindset, there is always the danger that it will become habit- forming. This is particularly the case nowadays when technology has given the sate such additional powers to scrutinise our every move. We must remember that the basis of our law has not changed: we are not confined to what is specifically permitted, as is the case in so many jurisdictions. On the contrary, we are permitted to do anything that is not, by law, forbidden.
For the present we are lawfully confined to our homes with the exception of four limited circumstances, but the authorities must not possess the powers to make such laws for any longer that is absolutely necessary.