Let's Go Kill Again!

Dave of the Tories has announced that under a Conservative Government there would be a free vote on Hunting. Apparently he thinks that having a law so often breached is "idiotic". I wonder where David Cameron was when Prif Copyn Richard Brunstrom was advocating the legalisation of drugs - now that's an often breached law if I ever saw one!

I also like the fact that the Countryside Alliance has (obviously) reacted with joy at Dave's announcement. Weren't they the ones complaining that debating the Hunting ban in 2005 was such a waste of parliamentary time? Surely if it was a waste of time to spend hours debating it's banning, isn't it a waste of time to spend hours debating it's legalisation?

Hunting is banned. Get over it.

Y Prif Copyn

North Wales Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom has come in for a lot of flack recently following his ecstacy/asprin comments. Since most of that flack has been thrown by the Daily Mail and Rent-a-Quote MP Chris Bryant I wouldn't think it has hurt his feelings too much.

The question of whether ectacy is or isn't safer than asprin is a question for someone else, what intrigues me is the debate on whether or not Y Prif Copyn had any place making a stand.

Dylan Jones-Evans clearly thinks he did not. According to the ex-Assembly Candidate for Aberconwy:

"As far as his job as Chief Constable is concerned, this is not a philosophical issue, no matter how much he likes to make it so. It is a matter of applying the law as it currently stands and, more importantly, not to undermine the laws of the land through such comments, no matter how much he disagrees with current legislation."

His second point deserves far more contemplation than his first. Surely Mr Jones-Evans isn't suggesting that North Wales Police are not applying the Misuse of Drugs Act. There seems to be no evidence whatsoever to show that the coppers up North turn a blind eye to the ecstacy dealers. The question therefore is whether the Chief Constable is "undermining the laws of the land". Dylan Jones-Evans goes on to say:

"How does he think drug dealers will react to such comments? Will they now think, rightly or wrongly, that North Wales is a soft touch on illegal drugs?"

You will note that he doesn't try and answer the question himself, just leaves it hanging there. Of course any politician will tell you that asking such a question without answering pretty much means "I want you to think this is true but I can't prove it". But is it true? Who knows, I'm not a drug dealer myself so who am I to say. What I do know though is that "professional" drug dealers don't give two damns whether an area is a "soft touch" or not. They will sell their drugs wherever there is a market for them. They think that they are above the law and too clever for the cops. Their businesses won't increase or decrease one jot due to Brunstrom's remarks. Saying otherwise is scaremongering, something we're used to from the London gutter press and 2 or 3 specific Labour MP's, but which you'd have hoped the ex-candidate for Aberconwy would be above.

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Personally I think the Prif Copyn had every right making his case. If I want to know where the law is faulty, I'd rather a police officer told me than a politician. Just as if I wanted to know the problems within the NHS I'd ask a nurse and if I wanted to know the problems within any company I'd ask the staff. While some of Brunstrom's antics raises an eyebrow (e.g. breaking into his own HQ!) I think he's perfectly placed to suggest amendments to the law.

One other question while we're on the topic of the Prif Copyn. A lot of my old University friends are from the North West and I've had reason to drive there on plenty of occassions. I can't for the life of me think of one fixed speed camera in Gwynedd or Ynys Mon, and I do not know anyone who have been caught speeding there. How the hell did he get his "Traffic Taliban" nickname?

(I'll be back to the topic of the Prif Copyn soon, his antics, and the media's response, deserves a longer look)