Boris Johnson wants minor offenders to work in ‘fluorescent-jacketed chain gangs’
On Tuesday, Boris Johnson announced key details of his ‘beating crime plan’, which includes –
More ankle tags
Fewer conditions for triggering stop and search
Giving victims of crime a named officer to deal with their case
Experts pointed out that victims already have a named officer and that stop and search has been more divisive than helpful, but never let it be said that this PM passed on a vote-grabbing headline because of a half-baked plan.
Beating Crime Plan sounds cool but when you've closed half the courts in England and Wales, shut half the UKs police stations, slashed the MOJ budget by 40% and run the police so well the federation lost confidence in the Home Secretary it's probably time for actual investment.
— Alexander Brown (@AlexofBrown) July 27, 2021
That was all somewhat eclipsed, however, by this drizzly soundbite, regarding making offenders do public unpaid work.
"I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be out there in one of those fluorescent-jacketed chain gangs visibly paying your debt to society".
Boris Johnson outlines his planned reforms for dealing with people convicted of anti-social behaviour.https://t.co/fgFiRXQhAn pic.twitter.com/KN0JFfnXEV
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 27, 2021
He’s one focus group away from reintroducing the stocks, and selling the UK’s rotting fruit and veg mountain to Daily Mail readers for pelting purposes.
Tweeters weighed in.
1.
If any Tory donors would like some free labour from chain gang workers, just text me and I’ll add you to the VIP list. https://t.co/NJnHQbQr2W
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) July 27, 2021
2.
Ah here’s the famously liberal Prime Minister saying more liberal things like “more chain gangs” https://t.co/mUiFkpakzh
— Nish Kumar (@MrNishKumar) July 27, 2021
3.
as a vignette of modern britain i find "disheveled man standing in the pissing rain advocating bringing back judicial slave labour" a little on the nose https://t.co/i5enja0pXk
— milo edwards (@Milo_Edwards) July 27, 2021
4.
Priti Patel: We've had enough of gesture politics
Boris Johnson: Let's have chain gangs because that will appeal to our base https://t.co/480AZSJXcl pic.twitter.com/FiraNscpU8
— Daniel Sohege 🧡 (@stand_for_all) July 27, 2021
5.
So we're going to have chain gangs picking our fruit and veg because the Tories can't organise a free market economy.
— 🇵🇸Sir Norman of Plague Island, KBE, CSE. 💚🏴☠️ (@Normanjam671) July 27, 2021
6.
Chain gangs.
Rape victims are forced to wait for years for a trial because @BorisJohnson won’t fund the justice system.
But it’s fine. Because he’s bringing back chain gangs. https://t.co/qfWswTmsSu
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) July 27, 2021
7.
Our home secretary is basically someone who never stopped being a 14 year old mean girl – every policy the policy of a spiteful teen who got nudged by someone smelly in the dinner queue https://t.co/Q0HZTA2tKl
— Meryl O'Rourke (@MerylORourke) July 27, 2021
8.
very much in favour of Boris Johnson’s plan to get criminals to sweep the streets wearing high viz jackets as long as Boris Johnson and his cabinet go first 👍
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) July 27, 2021