The runaway train of the nany state

There was never any doubt that the government would introduce its so-called “junk food” advertising ban next October. After all, that was the date set by Rishi Sunak last year and Keir Starmer is even keener on big government than he was. The only interesting thing about yesterday’s “announcement” is that it came on the same day as Starmer’s big speech about reforming the NHS. As I mentioned last week, the Prime Minister genuinely believes that the slovenly public are to blame for Britain’s dismal health service. I very much doubt that he is going to reform the NHS. It is beyond reform. Instead, he is going to try to reform us.

For the next five years, the UK will be the playground of every “public health” blowhard and nanny state crank. The slippery slope of lifestyle regulation will become a runaway train. If resistance is futile, we should at least demand accountability. The advertising ban, for example, is supposed to reduce child obesity. If it fails to do so, we should repeal it and strip the academics who promoted it of their government grants. It’s only fair.

 

Read the rest at The Critic.