Micromanaging the Scottish People

Zoe Williams draws attention to further attempts by the Scottish establishment to control its underlings. Sorry, population. Specifically as a man who says he doesn't want to hector women, tells us that women with any kind of health problem, or suffering from domestic abuse, should not have children until they've pulled themselves together.

It's a common theme in Scottish politics, this desire to keep the populace well-regulated and under the thumb. So you have to live a "good life" to have a baby - like it's some kind of reward for working hard for RBS and being a good Scots Nat.

In other news, the Scots government lowered the drink-drive limit a couple of years ago, and introduced a smoking ban in pubs 10 years ago. Now it has discovered that Scotland is a "nation of home drinkers". Well, imagine a well-known expression involving the discovery by Mr Holmes of Baker Street that he has run out of natural garden fertiliser. If you are surprised that if people can't drive home after one pint of beer, and can't smoke in pubs, they might drink at home, you probably shouldn't be consulted for your views on public health policy, as you clearly have no concept of what consequences are.

So the poorer people of Scotland, sitting in their lonely homes, drinking in front of Britain's Got Talent with a fag in their hand, wait anxiously in case the Glasgow health police knock on their doors to tell them they'd better not think about having sex without contraception. I don't think the Scots should have been allowed to have a referendum on their independence. Their mistresses and masters clearly don't think think they could be trusted with that much responsibility.