Wednesday, July 06, 2005

One thing I do think I can agree with the fragrant Ms. Casey about is her loathing of jargon, and I can particularly empathise with her desire to 'deck' No. 10 officials over their obsession with phrases like "evidence-based policy". Only yesterday someone told me that when the Council exercises its new licensing powers in respect of applications for 24-hour drink licenses, they have to use evidence-based decision making. Apparently this means allowing pubs in quiet working-class streets to open all night because there is no evidence to show that people coming and going all night would be disruptive. The evidence has to include police and other witness statements. Of course, because the pub has never previously opened for 24 hours, there is no such evidence.... so the pub has to be granted a license to cause misery for months whilst people compile "evidence" to oppose the license.

As Joseph Heller said: you cannot get out of the US Airforce on the grounds of insanity... because you would have to be insane to join the US Airforce.