Conservative MP Neil O’Brien has set out a list of policies to make Britain “vaguely civilised again” including “large and instant fines” for passengers playing music on public transport and a “crackdown on spitting”.
The Leicestershire MP also called for action to stop e-scooters being " dumped across pavements" and a push to plant trees on every residential street “where this is remotely possible”.
O’Brien was a minister in the previous Conservative government and is an influential thinker in the party, as the former head of the Policy Exchange think tank.
In a Substack article, external O’Brien argued the desire to live in a “civilised, orderly society” was “one of the most under-discussed and under-appreciated things in politics”.
“It is something often promised by politicians - but in my lifetime it has not been delivered.”
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Speaking to the BBC, O’Brien singled out street artist Banksy for criticism. He said his work was “valorising” graffiti.
"Graffiti is not art, it’s a massive nuisance, it creates a really disorderly atmosphere.
“People have done everything they can to make their place, perhaps a business or shop, nice then some moron sprays paint all over it.”
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Matt Ashby, a crime science lecturer at University College London, says many of the actions O’Brien proposes would require “substantial investment in public services”.
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O’Brien acknowledged in his piece that the Conservative-led government cut the number of police and although the overall levels were later restored, Ashby says cuts to Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were not.
“Compared to 2010, right now we only have 44% of the PCSOs.”
It’s one thing to suggest this kind of thing in opposition but it’s a bit cheeky after 14 years of Tory misrule where they cut public services and hammered local councils.
Absolutely, they had many years to achieve that and its only now when election was lost that they make noise.
Did Tory MP forgot they ruled UK for a few terms now?
I’m sold on the no music on public transport thing, having some basic consideration for the people around you should be mandatory.
Yeah but the “instant, large fines” are going to be difficult. Especially if your ringtone is a song…
The trees idea was nice. The rest is very typical grievance politics.
It would be pretty obvious if someone’s phone is ringing versus them listening to music.
Also, confiscate the device until the fine is paid.
Yeah! But who enforces it. Bus drivers have enough shit to deal with. Plus, do we really want non law enforcement issuing fines.
They have police on public transport in the UK, no reason we can’t do it here.
Only on trains not busses. And this is talking about the UK.
And even on trains transportation police have limited power / jurisdiction. Yes, if this was discussing fines for music on trains they would do it, We already have train carriages that require this. The transportation police can kick folks off, but it rarely happens. Due to lack of police.
But this MP was specifically talking about buses. No, we do not have police on buses just a single driver sometimes but very rarely a ticket collector or inspector but again with no legal power past calling the police.
He said the most effective way to tackle anti-social behaviour was probably to catch offenders in the act, something that would require more police officers.
But, he added, politicians usually prefer to opt for the “cheaper” option of increasing the severity of the punishment, such as fines, rather than employing more officers to enforce the rules.
So close. The most effective way to tackle anti-social behaviour might be to address the causes of antisocial behaviour. But that would be even more expensive than just hiring more coppers.
No tory is going to believe that.
It’s pretty much a key element of conservative politics. That people are positioned as their worth allows.
The whole concept that a personal status is the fault of society rather than the individual is opposed to their whole being. Hence, why they feel fixing such situations is giving advantages to the undeserving rather than creating equality.
What do you mean “again”? Name one period of history where people didn’t spit on the floor, leave trash around or inconvenience other people.
If he wants a world where everything is clean and everyone behaves, that’s not regression, that’s progress, he’d be making it a reality for the first time. The fact that he thinks people used to behave better in the past is quintessential conservative nostalgia goggles.