CNJ COMMENT - Farewell to Asbos – shame the cuts can’t go too

Published: 29 July, 2010

ANOTHER assault on our civil liberties, the Anti-Social Behaviour Order, is on the brink of passing into history. Thank Goodness!

Signals yesterday (Wednesday) by the home secretary, Theresa May, point to the exit sign for Asbos.

From the birth of Asbos – introduced by a Labour government obsessed with authoritarianism – this newspaper, without hesitation, joined the opposition.

Both the former Labour administration and the last Lib-Dem-Tory coalition passionately embraced Asbos to the point where they became a flagship policy of both councils.

The virus of authoritarianism obviously ran deep – quite inexplicably in Labour – but it remained puzzling why the more civil liberty minded Lib-Dems in Camden allowed themselves to be seduced by Asbos, albeit with a slightly diminished appetite.

Now Asbos join the long list of rejects drawn up by the Cameron-Clegg partnership, particularly the ill-conceived idea of ID cards, the assaults on the jury service and the wrong-headed penal policy pursued by authoritarian Jack Straw.

Old fashioned liberals – reeling from unpopular Cameron-Osborne public spending  cuts – find political salvation in the “social policies” being pursued by the coalition.

According to polls, support for the Lib-Dems is eroding at a dangerous pace.

But, at least a chink of light comes from the unquestionable reforms on the civil liberties agenda.

Where they lose support on the coalition’s economic policies, they gain on its social policies.

Bathe Flick in glory

THE magnificent restoration of that glorious Victorian edifice, the Kentish Town Baths, is a reminder that a project of this scale could only have been masterminded by the full commitment of a municipal authority.

This is an example of the public sector at its best.

Cameron’s dream of a Big Society may inspire civic-minded volunteers to help turn the small cog-wheels.

But big projects demand big, corporate planning and action.

If Labour had had its way, the baths would have probably been sold off.

The Lib-Dems appeared indifferent at first. But, to their credit, they heard the clamour of ordinary people, and threw in their support with gusto, to save the baths.

This week the new baths opened – to the delight of families with young children and dedicated swimmers, and to the delight of Flick Rea, a leading Lib-Dem councillor, who took it upon herself to steer the project to a successful