“The Phantom of Liberty” is a great film made by the surrealist director Luis Bunuel in 1974. The film is a series of linked episodes which challenge our conception of how free we actually are in our thoughts and actions.

I only bring this up because of an article in the Sunday Times I read last night about how Tony Blair wants to block a public smoking ban because, and I quote:

[he] has told colleagues that any step of this kind would be a severe restriction on people’s freedoms

This is from the same man who’s current Home Secretary is pushing ahead with a national system of ID cards.

Now this isn’t an anti-smoking rant or an opinion on whether smoking should be banned in public places (although I do think it should be banned in places where food is served) and I’m not even sure that I like the idea of it being banned in pubs (being an ex-smoker who only really smoked when he drank).

But I do question our fearless misLeaders motives. I can’t see this being prompted by an interest in people’s freedom but more because of either pressure from the tobacco companies (who may have mentioned in passing something about withdrawing financial support from the government perhaps) or because of the decrease in revenue from the huge amount of tax that’s whacked on top of every pack.

If he was really worried about our freedoms, then surely he wouldn’t have any hesitation in pushing forward total decriminalisation of cannabis or maybe questioning the laws surrounding suicide. Or lowering the age of consent for gays. Not to mention the freedom related issues surrounding ID cards, cameras in supermarkets and the selling of email addresses/mobile phone numbers etc.

BTW - can anyone explain in simple words what the difference is between decriminalise and legalise? I still don’t get it!