British parents set to lose right to smack children

Sunday November 16, 2003
The Observer

Parents' right to smack their children would finally be abolished under a historic attempt to outlaw physical punishment within the home.

The Government is expected to include new laws on protecting children from abuse in the Queen's Speech next week, in response to the death of Victoria Climbié, the little girl who was killed in London by her great-aunt after social workers missed glaring signs that she was in danger.

Labour MPs are planning to tack an amendment onto the Child Protection Bill which would outlaw parental smacking, following warnings that too many abusive parents cover up ill-treatment by insisting that bruises are the result of 'normal' discipline. They are optimistic that Ministers will allow a free vote on the issue.

'The abolition of a husband's right to beat his wife surely did something about the status of women in our society, and in the same way this is about another kind of domestic violence,' said David Hinchliffe, chair of the Commons Health Select Committee.

(entire story here.)

Foolish Brits.

It's like they don't know what the difference is between discipline and lethal abuse.  As usual, making more laws instead of enforcing the ones they have.

Damn Nanny governments.......


why not just force us all to be mentally and physically modified to the lowest common denominator, so that noone is ever different either?

bang... bang... bang.

Another nail driven into the once great British culture.

I'm reading Winston Churchill’s memoirs of WWII now.  Sir Winston would have been infuriated and appalled at what his beloved England has become.  

So when do they pass the law requiring everyone to hold hands and sing kum-by-ya?

I'm split.

Part of me says good- it's the only decent thing to come from the UK in a number of years.

The other part of me fears Orwell's predictions.

Ohh goodie another useless law that will pass have all of England pushing for it here...since we're such a violent society.