Recovering freedoms

The recovery of freedoms for the people of the UK was to have been June 21st, but now is put back possibly until July 19th. There will undoubtedly be people after that date who will attempt to keep some of the restrictions in place simply because they like to tell people what to do. They will be egged on by self-styled scientists making spurious claims. We must be vigilant and determined if we are to reacquire the freedoms we enjoyed prior to the pandemic, and which the vaccine programme makes possible again.

We want the freedom not to be ordered what to wear, not to be confined indoors or only allowed out under limited circumstances. Nor must we be prevented from receiving visitors into the home without limit on numbers or on relationships.

We wish not to be prevented from travel, nor having to produce “valid reasons” for doing so. We must be able to return freely to this country without restrictions or requirements.

We need to be able to freely associate with others in such numbers and in such places as people may want, and not to be prevented from engaging in group activities. We need the freedom to engage in or watch sports, concerts, theatres and cinemas.

And most assuredly there must be no requirement to have permits for legitimate activities, nor to submit to questions about lawful pursuits.

All of the above freedoms must be restored, and the Acts that restricted them must be allowed to expire or be expunged. If such restrictions are ever needed again, Parliament can pass enabling legislation again if necessary. But they must leave the Statute Book until such a time.

In addition to having these basic freedoms restored, we must now put the case for “surplus freedoms” that people should acquire or reacquire to compensate for the temporary loss of the ones listed above.

These should include the freedom to speak one’s mind without fear of police action or criminal proceedings or criminal record, even if some people find the remarks offensive, or lead them to feel “unsafe.”

These “surplus freedoms” should include the freedom to engage in open debate that does not advocate physical violence against others, and to be able to do so on public platforms without authorities being able to prevent this by excluding certain people or subjects.

Hospitality businesses should have the freedom to continue to have tables outside that cause no public nuisance. And property owners should be able to develop their property in ways that cause no nuisance to others without the need for official approval.

A most welcome freedom would be a five-year moratorium, publicly announced as a commitment, against any new measures to restrict or discourage what people want to eat or drink. Having been under daily attack for many years by those who want to punish us for consuming what they disapprove of, it would be a most welcome pause, and even better if it were then made permanent.