Your Freedom

Since launching in early July Your Freedom has been inundated with literally tens of Britons desperate to tell the Con-Dem Government how it would like to participate in its own freedom. The site was set up as part of the Big Society, that bold, brash and brazen initiative of the Prime Minister's that no one quite understands, least of us Mr Cameron. Your Freedom allows us ordinary folk to tell the politicians which laws we'd like repealed, which regulations we'd like done away with, and which of our civil liberties we miss. Form an orderly queue … 

The helpful introduction to Your Freedom informs us that the good people in HM Government are "committed to restoring and defending" our freedom. However, as they are bit tied up with other things at present, they'd like us to do their thinking for them on how they could go about doing that. This means that we can rate ideas, comment on ideas, submit our own ideas, do Nick Clegg impressions, really, whatever takes our fancy. Now you've finished telling the government how it can cut public spending you've got plenty of time on your hands so come on, pull your publicly spirited finger out.  

In the video on Your Freedom the Deputy PM looks quite fetching in his yellow tie and, comes across as the very soul of calm enthusiasm. Clearly, Mr Cameron has learnt from the previous administration. If you want your deputy to stay out of car showrooms and stop punching members of the public, give him a project and pretend it matters. 

8 September 2010