Policing bill betrays obsessions of Tories

IT was very sad to read of your anonymous contributor’s experience of men (Newbury Weekly News, March 18) and while I would not dispute that there are some truly dreadful examples out there, it was probably a few thousand years before the Sixties and birth control that men became angry with women.

In Victorian times it was apparently permissible for a husband to beat his wife with a rod no thicker than his finger, so we have made some progress.

Not, I regret, in Tory legislation, which considers the 10 years maximum for defacing a statue on a par with stalking and harassment of women.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which Laura Farris supports, betrays the Tory obsession with heritage and patriotism, suppression of public opposition and control of the streets.

Politicians appearing in front of Union Jacks and pictures of the Queen try to reinforce the jingoistic Brexit message of Britain going it alone when everything we have learnt in history teaches us that nationalism is a one-way street to conflict and suppression of minorities at home.

This trope has long been associated with male chest beating and the inflated importance of very dubious achievements by the governing party. Whilst a true patriot (whatever that means) never needs to announce their loyalty but quietly goes about doing their moral and civic duty, a true man will likewise be a kind and considerate father/son/brother/ husband with little need to express themselves in ways that threaten others.

There are gentle men out there and I hope your correspondent will one day meet one and be happy.

TOM BROWN

Gore End