So, last week we had the news that the Northern Ireland Attorney General's prosecution against the author of Outside In, Peter Hain, and Biteback, has been dropped. Yesterday, in the Commons, Peter brought up the issue of freedom of speech, and the ancient offence of scandalising a judge:
Peter Hain: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. May I thank you personally, and also thank the whole House—whose opinion was expressed in an early-day motion sponsored by the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr Davis) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough (Mr Blunkett) in the last Session—for supporting me in connection with the prosecution brought by the Northern Ireland Attorney-General? It is perhaps no coincidence that common sense finally prevailed last week and the Attorney-General dropped the prosecution, but issues of free speech for Members and the ancient offence of scandalising a judge are still unresolved.
Peter mentions that the law is an ancient one. In that light, I did a little research on old laws that still exist today. I expected to find some outdated laws, some odd laws, maybe some funny laws, or some which stigmatised a section of society. Well, that I did find, but it’s not the section of society that you might expect.
Do you want to know a section of society truly stigmatised by British law? Taxi drivers.
Now, I always knew it must be hard to be a taxi driver. Based on experiences that are nothing to do with my own, I imagine that it involves the following: drunken fools spilling a) their kebabs or b) their guts, whilst also trying to negotiate prices down by 20p and telling them how much they love them. However, back in the day things were not so great for them either.
a) They are legally obliged to ask passengers if they have smallpox or the plague
b) They are not allowed to carry rabid dogs or human corpses in their taxi
c) Luckily this law was repealed in 1976, but until that point they were required to carry hay or oats at all times.
Well, if I ever do become a taxi driver, I'll try not to keep my rabid pet dog on the seat next to me but I can't promise anything. Do you know of any other strange laws that still exist today?