Polly’s Britian

A faithful correspondent emails: “I know it rightly pains you to contemplate the existence of Polly Toynbee, but is she actually saying that the worst thing about New Labour was that it wasn’t authoritarian, expedient, or intrusive enough?”

I suspect readers know the answer to this but, to give Mrs Toynbee the benefit of the doubt, I thought it only fair to read the column in question. And, why, yes! She does seem to be of the view that now the government’s days are numbered it should cast off its feeble moderation and do more – much more! – to tell people how they may, or more probably, may not, lead their lives.