Kenneth Clarke has moved to toughen up his controversial sentencing bill by criminalising squatting and strengthening the law of self-defence for those who confront intruders in their own homes.
The decision to ban squatting in residential buildings has been taken despite warnings that making trespass a criminal offence could also affect sit-ins and occupations and lead to an increase in the most vulnerable homeless people sleeping rough.
Kenneth Clarke, Secretary for 'Justice', was caught recently fobbing off half his council tax and claiming the mortgage on his second home as a parliamentary expense.
On 12 May 2009, The Daily Telegraph reported that Clarke had "flipped" his council tax. He had told the Parliamentary authorities that his main home was in his Rushcliffe constituency, enabling him to claim a second homes allowance on his London home and leaving the taxpayer to foot the bill for the council tax due on that property. However, he told Rushcliffe Borough Council in Nottinghamshire that he spent so little time at his constituency address that his wife Gillian should qualify for a 25% council tax (single person’s) discount, saving the former chancellor around £650 per year. Land registry records showed that Clarke did not have a mortgage on his home in Nottinghamshire, where he has lived since 1987. He instead held a mortgage on his London house, which he had most recently charged to the taxpayer at £480 per month
Would it be so bad if his two (no doubt luxurious) homes burned to the ground?
Thought Police Note: I am not saying anyone should do this. It would be a lot a time and effort wasted not affecting government policy in the slightest, not to mention risking a life or two. But wouldn't you savour the irony of Kenneth Clarke kipping on David Cameron's sofa while he got his life back together (as tens of thousands of people are having to do right now, thanks to the Tory government)?