Time to make justice protect the innocent

THEgreat English 17th century moral philosopher Thomas Hobbes justified the social contract between the public and government: “The wickedness of bad men also compels good men to have recourse, for their own protection, to the virtues of war, which are violence and fraud.”

Thanks to Hobbes and others it has long been established that the first duty of government is the protection of its citizens.

The principle is one which Britain has bequeathed to the world in democratic government – along with that of the rule of law.

These two principles underpin Boris Johnson’s historic announcement in the Sunday Express this weekend.

What is clear is that the justice system, as the Prime Minister himself asserts, has not been protecting the public but instead allowing often dangerous criminals to roam our streets.

In this sense the rule of law itself is also weakened because it gives the impression that it is not being fully implemented.

In such circumstances people’s confidence in the justice system and government fall apart.

Why, for example, can a terrorist such as Sudesh Amman be allowed out of prison in just over two years having only served half his sentence?

The Prime Minister was right to highlight this case and equally right to change the sentencing and court system to one which focuses less on the rights of criminals and more on public protection.

As Mr Johnson himself puts it, we need a system that punishes the guilty and protects the innocent. Hobbes, a founding father of our democratic system, would have completely agreed.