Tories: if it’s fun, ban it; if it delivers papers, spy on it!

The Conservatives sometimes like to think that they believe in freedom. I’m not entirely sure where they get this delusion, but I am always assured that sooner or later they will expose themselves as the paternalistic autocrats that they naturally are.

So a hat tip to Conservative Home for highlighting

• the Tory council that has banned a lollipop man from adorning his lollipop with tinsel,
• the Tory council that is using anti-terror laws to spy on paper boys, and
• the Tory council that is trying to outlaw swearing.