Claire Fox

Kill the bill: why Boris’s crime law isn’t fit for purpose

A policeman stands guard following a climate protest at Guildhall in the City of London (Getty images)

Boris Johnson is rightly facing the wrath of Tory MPs over the proposed introduction of vaccine passports, but another piece of legislation put forward by the government should also trouble us. Critics of Boris Johnson’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, often focus on its scale. They have a point. The Bill is simply enormous: made up of 13 parts, 179 clauses and hundreds of pages, parliamentarians of all stripes have treated it as a Christmas tree, hanging on it an endless array of special interest amendments. But size isn’t the Bill’s biggest problem. Even if heavily amended, this act – which is going through parliament today and is set to become law next year – threatens to criminalise ordinary Brits. It also points to another worrying trend: those in power are overstepping the mark by seeking to legislate on issues that don’t require legislation. Individuals should be largely free to make choices based on conscience, not fear of legal sanction. Why don’t the Tories understand this?

The policing Bill has been painted as vital by the likes of Priti Patel, yet the reality is rather different. Put simply, this law could empower the police to stop and search you without suspicion, based on a potential protest in your area. It also criminalises the act of attaching yourself to a public building. Though that tactic may have been recently abused by XR protesters, it has historically been popular with those with legitimate grievances, such as the Suffragettes and opponents of Heathrow expansion. Removing this right for all of us is a draconian response to a few eco-crusties gluing themselves to motorways. 

If there is a crime crisis, it is surely because pre-existing laws aren’t being properly enforced

The Tories clearly want to appear tough on crime but criminalising people who wish to vent their unhappiness in a democracy isn’t the way to do so.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in