The Metropolis

Riots: Something Must Not Be Done

Mike Pollitt | Friday 12 August, 2011 12:15

Here are some of the ideas that MPs floated in yesterday’s debate on What Must Be Done about the riots. I paraphase from Hansard.

Block social media in rioting areas – David Cameron
Round up rioters and lock them in Wembley stadium – Peter Tapsell
Introduce a tax allowance for married couples – Edward Leigh
Have another inquiry! – Ed Miliband
Make it illegal to spread riot rumours online – Iain Stewart
Spray indelible dye on protesters then catch them later – Andrea Leadsom
Close mobile phone masts in rioting areas – Tobias Ellwood

These ideas are demonstrably bonkers. What happens if some of the dye gets on an innocent bystander? What happens if by blocking Twitter you prevent people finding out that an area is unsafe? How will giving some married pensioners in Torquay a tax break prevent looting in Hackney? Crazy.

Alex Massie speaks sense:

Parliament may need to be recalled to give the impression that something is being done; most of the time, in circumstances such as these, it may be best if it only pretends to be doing something.

Everyone calm down, take a step back, and think about genuinely constructive long term measures which might prevent this happening again. Clue: indelible dye isn’t one of them.

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