R-E-S-P-E-C-T (sock it to me)

I can't tell whether this is an attempt to distract the press from their troubles, lolly-for-lordships & the suppression of the BAE investigation, or just another spectacularly bad idea. The British government has announced plans for, wait for it, "repect zones" in forty urban areas across the country. The initiative, funded to the tune of 6 million pounds, will include measures such as "parenting classes and family intervention projects” in areas blighted with high truancy, school exclusion and deprivation. These "no dissing" zones are to be launched in parts of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester as well as Ipswich, Hastings or Norwich. To the relief of MPs there are no such zones planned for Westminster or indeed anywhere in London.

I imagine that even as we speak George Galloway is ensconced with his solicitors in a basement office somewhere in Bethnal Green planning to sue the government for tradmark infringement!