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Very exciting:

I agree it's arbitrary -- same as the ages of consent, drinking, driving, &c. It's difficult to think of a much better solution, though, than a simple age limit. At least it provides certainty, is predictable and is the same for everyone. In this case, I think it would have been worse had they...

Also, why is Shirley Williams wearing a Kimono?

There are at least two reasons why it can be said to be worse. Firstly, because your poor old Grandmother has lived a long life, whereas a child hasn't. Ask the question, would you rather someone murdered you when you were 90 or when you were 10? Of course it is worse, from the victim's...

I'd second Cabinet. Also try Dot Dot Dot.

The label doesn't matter too much, although I think I'd consider riding on its own a sport, so it isn't too much of a stretch to extend it to hunting. I suppose just as much as going to the football is to other people's life. Just because you yourself don't do it, or even understand it, doesn't...

There isn't really a principled reason to support the ban other than resentment/hatred of the upper classes. No fewer foxes die, because the fox population needs to be managed anyway -- the only difference is that they're shot instead of being hunted. And while you may share a dislike of the...

So what on Earth is the point of it? The bill is over 1000 pages long, creates dozens of new govt agencies, spends billions of dollars and doesn't cover the other 50m people? The money would probably be better spent just paying the 50m people's premiums for a decade, or something.

The reason Hannan went on the program is that he thinks that the current reforms won't help them at all. Just because someone criticises a proposed solution for a problem doesn't mean they think there isn't a problem, or that the problem doesn't need solving. He didn't say they should 'stick...

As far as I'm aware, he hasn't apologised -- on his Telegraph blog a few days ago he reaffirmed and clarified his position. In any case, why on earth should he apologise? I really don't understand this attitude that no one can criticise the NHS under any circumstances, or (quelle horreur!)...

Polly Toynbee is one of the most shameless government apologists there is. If she's calling for Brown's head, he's in trouble. And it's all of his own making, of course, as she points out.

Why does the size of the class of people matter? You seem to be suggesting that because they're a minority, it's OK to victimize high earners. The point is, it's a *big* increase in tax (10%, £15k+/yr) that makes a *big* statement politically, but the actual revenue it's bringing in is very...

The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates that the number of high-earners leaving the country as a result of this will actually lose the Treasury £800m a year. Even if the unrealistic £7bn is raised, it's very small potatoes, nowhere near enough to service the interest on the debt...

You're not being naive at all -- the story was surprising, I don't deny that. It's the bizarre conclusion that the two papers' differing opinions 'prove' that they're both pure evil that I objected to. Edit: As regards whether the papers are different, although the Irish edition borrows...

I find it amusing how the Daily Mail (UK version) is attacked like the biggest straw man ever. This article is ludicrous. The two papers in question have a completely different editorial staff, and apart from common ownership, and the name, they're totally different papers. Would it be so...