I had lunch a few weeks ago with a friend who had spent five years out of the country. I asked what were the biggest changes she noticed on returning to the UK. Without hesitation she replied “regulation and the nanny state”.

Schools no longer allow children to play conkers for fear of injury; councils order the felling of 300-year-old trees on the grounds that they endanger life; orders forbid adults to take photographs of children in public parks for fear of abuse by paedophiles.

And in the latest addition to the overprotective nature of the British state, the extraordinary proposal from its government that everyone should be required to stay in full-time education until the age of 18.

Please login to view whole article - or subscribe here.
For a free two week trial to Ethical Corporation online, please click here.