To justify the implementation of the Public Order Act, all of a sudden ‘New-Age Travellers,’ living on the margins of society, were a major problem. Contingencies of police were sent to harass them and move their convoys, which resulted in confrontation as the travellers defended their lifestyle, all played out in the media spotlight and the Tabloids. After the new law was introduced, the traveller ‘problem’ disappeared into the ether, never to be mentioned again.

Then, to sway public opinion in favour of ‘holding camps’ for refugees, the influx of Eastern Europeans, fleeing the conveniently orchestrated Balkan Conflict (still ongoing) were concentrated in Dover and Maidstone, infuriating ‘Middle Englanders’ who felt their tranquil environment was being invaded by foreigners. These constituencies which had defected to Labour, promptly swung back to Conservatives who promised tough new immigration controls to deal with it.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Law, which could be construed as anything which goes against the grain, and casts a very wide net, needed a ‘target’ so the Labour Party Conference called for a crack-down on ‘yobs.’ The Queen reiterated this in her Parliamentary speech. Baffled as to who these ‘yobs’ might be I assumed it must be football hooligans, who’s behaviour fits the Bill. To my amazement, it came to light, they were referring to kids, average age ten years old, ‘terrorizing’ inner-city estates. The Tabloids highlighted ONE case of a boy with a catalogue of petty crimes, then it was a ‘National problem.’

The result is, estates are demanding CCTV, the children are being fitted with electronic tags and whole families are being evicted for the disruptive behaviour of one (A.D.D) child. Perhaps if council cut-backs hadn’t undermined every available facility from youth clubs to libraries, our kids wouldn’t be so bored and aimless.

But then came the New Terrorist Act, who do we have here? Animal rights activists! If the scenario does not exist to create a climate of acceptance for a Bill, they instigate it. The Director of Huntingdon Life Sciences Animal Torture Centre, found himself ambushed by ambiguous, masked attackers, who beat him up. Animal Rights activists, of course, were blamed for this incident.

Which brings us to Foot & Mouth, more atrocities in the Animal Kingdom. While the people cry; “Something must be done!” “This must never happen again!” Tighter Border Controls, stemming the tide of human flotsam from Globalisation, are proposed, and the electronic tags for all livestock…not more humane farming methods. People must stop allowing themselves to be carried along on this transitory current of public opinion, designed to inflame and provoke the desired reaction.