Published: Tuesday, 30th June, 2009 10:42am

Stamp out political correctness

by From the Editors chair

Comments (0) | Print | Email

A PIECE of good news this week was that the voters of Doncaster rejected political candidates for Mayor and, instead, selected self-styled Democrat Peter Davies.

One of his main platforms is to get rid of political correctness which bedevills local authorities and he wants to reduce the number of councillors, both aspirations dear to the hearts of many people.

The problem with political correctness (you can"t say manhole because it"s sexist!) is that politicians pass legislation against discrimination in good faith but then faceless bureaucrats take over the wording. By the time the law is handed down to more bureaucrats in national agencies and local councils it is rigid law devoid of common sense.

This was evident to newspapers when some school head teachers used to get paranoid over photographs being taken in their schools lest it contravened Data Protection and Human Rights.

Down south this week, privacy watchdogs have ruled that school sports day photographs for use in local newspapers do not fall foul of data protection so long as those being photographed are aware of how the images will be used.

A row erupted last week after a primary school in Devon banned sports day pictures saying they were against the law. This was typical of a head teacher who could not apply common sense.

But the information commissioner says such actions are down to what he called 'data protection myths.'

In fresh guidance he said: 'Citing the Data Protection Act to stop people taking photos or filming their children at school is wrong.' Parents" photographs and video of their children at school sports days or plays were exempt from the Act.

Because of the past idiocy of councils, both members and officials, I reckon we will see more independent or democratic councillors. Perhaps we should start electing Mayors in Scotland and, yes, I am available.

On our letters page this week we have a statement from the local Labour Party saying how they think Prime Minister Gordon Brown is the man for the job.

The fact that they cannot see that he is the most inept, bumbling PM since John Major explains why local Labour hardly has any members and precious few activists.

ps North Ayrshire Leisure Trust issued a press statement this week welcoming the return of Paddle "Streamer" (sic) Waverley. If only they read papers.