Britain is turning into a socialist dystopia where criminals run amok

The socialist dystopia we live in, which existed long before a Labour government made it worse, is underlined by a statement made last week by George Weston, chief executive of Associated British Foods.

Referring to one of ABF’s constituent brands, Primark, Mr Weston said the retailer lost more each year to shoplifting than it paid in corporate tax. It has 191 stores in Britain and pays £70m in tax each year. The effect on the company’s shareholders is, in more ways than one, criminal.

Shortly before Mr Weston’s desperate announcement, Paul Gerrard, who heads up public affairs at the Co-op, said his staff were experiencing unprecedented levels of crime and abuse, with a 44 per cent increase year-on-year. Both executives cited organised shoplifting gangs, who were stealing to order.

Mr Gerrard spoke of “people coming into our stores with wheelie bins, people coming into our stores with construction bags and stealing the whole sweets section, the whole drinks section, the whole meat section”.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is aware that this can be a problem and plans to abolish the so-called £200 rule. This means that those who steal goods worth £199 or less can be tried in a magistrate’s court for a “summary” offence, with a maximum sentence of six months. Those tried in a crown court can be sentenced to up to seven years for theft.

The huge backlog at Crown Courts means that in some cases there is a wait of more than two years for a trial. Shrewd lawyers advise thieves to opt for this if it is offered; they believe that juries are less likely to convict than a bench of magistrates and that by the time the case is heard the impact of the offence will seem much less. This cynicism suggests that a different approach is needed.

The Telegraph via Yahoo News.

We are not far behind when it comes to the madness that characterises contemporary Britain.