In the Age of Hurt Feelings there is no such thing as ‘free speech’

Despite what Emma Thompson may say, this ‘cake-filled, misery-laden, grey old island’ is actually a more than half-decent place to live. Most of the time, anyway. That it remains so is remarkable, given the provocations inflicted upon us by our political overlords. Here are three stories to make you weep. (And as you know, three stories constitute a sodding trend.)

First, the Independent reports that the government (in England and Wales) plans to make it illegal for publicly-funded bodies – including councils – to boycott goods produced in areas of the world, or by industries, they deplore. According to a ‘senior’ government source quoted by the paper, a crackdown on town-hall boycotts is overdue because said protests have ‘undermined good community relations, poisoned and polarised debate, and fuelled anti-semitism’.

Heavens above. I have no time for the lack-witted dullards and nincompoops who demand the boycotting of Israeli goods (let us not be coy and pretend that this is really about anything else).