Good news?

Well, it might be, but I'm not holding my breath as time alone will tell if the politicians in our government are going to do more than pay lip service to proposals announced over the weekend. Lord Young has been looking into this country's addiction to the imposition of ever-dafter rules and regulations in the name of health and safety. For example:

• One council decided to cut down horse chestnut trees in case they were sued by people who had conkers fall on their heads.
• Another council banned floral baskets hanging from lamp-posts as they could be a hazard to pedestrians.
• A school head teacher banned children from playing conkers in case a piece broke off one and flew into a pupil's eye.

The list goes on to include:

• Cheese-rolling (a traditional annual sport in some areas) cancelled in case participants injure themselves.
• Many carnival processions called off because people on floats might fall off the lorries.
• People advised not to clear snow from pavements and/or their paths in case they left a bit of ice on which a passer-by could slip.
  

Those killjoys have always blamed health and safety legislation, but Lord Young has pointed out is that the legislation blamed for much of the madness does not actually exist. The real concern of all those wet blankets was not that somebody might be hurt but that, IF somebody was hurt they might sue the organisers of events or local authorities (in the case of the trees and hanging baskets) etc, but they have always claimed that they have been acting in accordance with health and safety legislation. This culture of litigation has been growing over the last few years and has now reached the stage where ambulance-chasing lawyers advertise in hospital A & E departments offering to sue on a no-win, no-fee basis. As a result, event organisers (and/or their insurance companies) have had no option but to pack up shop.

Lord Young's proposals include banning advertisements from ambulance=chasing lawyers and applying common sense when looking for potential health risks and hazards.

I see a contradiction in terms there: common sense and politicians? That's why I'm not holding my breath.