The law that is choking civil society
If one were to ask for a quintessential display of the British character it would be hard to better the Shrewsbury Flower Show. Officially the world's 'longest-running flower show', according to the Guinness World Records, it is held over two days in August, attracting 60,000 visitors.
This summer should be the show's 150th birthday. Last week, however, the Shropshire Horticultural Society abruptly cancelled it. Rising costs were cited as a factor. But the main reason was the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act – known as Martyn's Law. The legislation, which was given royal assent this month, requires organisers of events with more than 200 people to engage in lengthy bureaucratic and state-monitored protocols to protect visitors from terror attacks. Unlikely though it may be that jihadists will prioritise raising the Isis flag above an array of prize lobelias, if fighting terror requires Shrewsbury to wilt, so be it.
In October, The Spectator warned that the legislation would impose 'onerous and costly regulatory requirements on civil society'. Village halls and football clubs are being co-opted into the battle against terrorism, forced to complete training and time-consuming paperwork.
The government's impact assessment suggested Martyn's Law would, at best, have a net cost of £1.8 billion. In a worst-case scenario, that would stretch to £4.9 billion: 583 times the £8.4 million in benefits expected. Shrewsbury Flower Show's burden is one shared by a cornucopia of public locations – 100,000 retail and hospitality venues, 33,000 places of worship, 400 zoos and theme parks, and so on – that are expected to be hit.
Martyn's Law is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.
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