Red Tape Blog

Does the Government never learn? Not content with the fiasco of the £6 billion NHS database -- and just about every other database it has wasted our money on over the past decade its latest wheeze is to put all our information onto a super-database which could be accessed across Government departments. It isn't hard to guess what will happen: details your unpaid parking ticket made out to a car with a cloned registration plate in Weston-Super-Mare will be registered as an unpaid debt, to throw a spanner in the works when you apply, say, for a passport. Anyone out there want to share any tales of how they have descended into a nightmare world of bureaucracy because a Government department has got some inaccurate information on you? If you think it is bad now, just think what it will be like in future.

Take Two!

In less than two weeks, 'How to Label a Goat' is already into its second print run - amazing.

So, if you've been to your local store and seen an empty space on the shelf - it's because copies of the book are being snapped up faster than a goat running away from the restraints of red tape!

Make sure you order a copy direct from the publisher, to ensure Christmas delivery: click here

How to Label a Goat has certainly caught the attention of the media. The goat and I have been in and out of the nations radio and tv stations all week. We have even gained a warm endorsement from serial blogger Tim Worstall. Our interview on Today on Tuesday 21st caused a stir with one Sun reader, who wrote to the paper, complaining that Jim Naughtie had leapt to the defence of the Government and its 1369 page pensions 'simplification' -- arguing that the length of the regulations 'doesn't prove they don't work'. Naughtie was a bit grumpy, but he has got to ask the questions, hasn't he? But the answer to Naughtie's question, on more reflection, is 'no': the fact that a set of regulations runs to 1369 pages does prove it doesn't work -- for a law to be effective it has to be understood by anyone who might fall foul of it and anyone charged with enforcing it. On both counts the new laws on pensions fail. What they create, rather, is a situation in which nobody can tell for sure whether they are within the law

The Evening Standard reports that Metropolitan police officers now spend an average of 10 hours 6 minutes filling out forms when they arrest someone. This has emerged in the answer to a question from London Assembly member Joanne McCarthy. You can see the story here

Craig, a policemen from Scotland, writes to the Evening Standard to say it is a load of nonsense: no policeman would bother to fill in all the forms mentioned. But then since the info comes from the Met themselves, why shouldn't it be true. Any coppers out there wish to make a comment?

How do you label a goat?

The Daily Mail asked that very question on Tuesday 21 November 2006:

How do you label a goat?

Launch the Goat!

'How to Label a Goat' was officially launched at The Savile Club in Mayfair, London on Monday evening.

Guests from the political and media world joined Ross Clark to celebrate the publication of his new book.

A comical 'awards ceremony' was held to find Britian's silliest regulation. The winner? Gordon Brown for his 'simpilified' pensions' regime; which ran to no less than 1,369 pages!

If you didn't make the launch to pick up your complimentary copy of the book, it's available by clicking here

Hope you like the photos:
1. Ross Clark holds Gordon Brown's first prize - a cuddly goat!
2. The books displayed in The Drawing Room at The Savile Club
3. Ross Clark is interviewed by David Cornock from BBC Wales

More news from the land of lunatic regulations: staff at Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have been banned from keeping photographs of their families on their desks -- the argument being that it makes them less productive. According to the Daily Mail (Wednesday 15th November) staff in North Wales were sent a memo ordering them to remove non-essential items from their desks. One man was told to take away a banana on the grounds that it was 'inactive'. (Anyone ever seen an active banana?) The only explanation I can think of is that HMRC is trying to remove from its staff any lingering vestiges of human attributes, so that they won't feel any sympathy for their victims as they struggle with their self assessment tax returns. Anyone got a better explanation?

How to Label a Goat is published

'How to Label a Goat' was published this week by Harriman House.

If you pre-ordered a copy, hope you're enjoying the read.

If you'd like to order a copy: click here

The Mirror: Taken for a ride

In today's Daily Mirror, Sue Carroll comments on yet another silly regulation...

"It's about 4ft square and bright red. It rocks up and down and plays a tune.

You'd think most passers-by would be able to avoid the Postman Pat kiddies' ride outside a shoe shop in Market Harborough. Still, the local busybodies have ruled it must go. Somebody might walk into it and get hurt. Yes, somebody might.

If they were colour blind, wearing a Darth Vader helmet and listening to Black Sabbath at full blast.

But you don't get a lot of that around Market Harborough, do you?"

The Times: Cast your vote now

Have you voted for your favourite contenders in the 'How to Label a Goat Awards'?

If so, give Daniel Finkelstein some help: click here

The Sunday Times: Red tape is no laughing matter

The 'How to Label a Goat' launch party has been getting some attention in the press. Prufrock is not sure whether the champagne regulation is a joke: click here

The Times: To cut red tape, fill in these forms

Ross Clark exposes more crazy regulations in The Times: click here

The Goat and Nick Clegg

Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats have identified a list of the top ten laws we don't need.

It may only involve 10 laws (only another ten thousand to go) but Nick Clegg and the Lib-dems get the Goat's approval.