Hot News! A Crackdown!

In a move of which Alastair Campbell would be proud, the Government has announced a crackdown on careless driving, in which the emphasis will move away from allegedly unpopular speed cameras.

Some crackdown. At present, on the rare occasions that a Due Care case gets to court, the offender faces a fine of up to £5000 and between 3 and 9 penalty points. Magistrates assess the seriousness of the offence and the nature of the driving to put the conduct on the correct point of the scale. There is also discretion to disqualify, as there is with all endorsable offences. Under the supposedly draconian new regime, there will be a fixed penalty of £100 or less, plus three points and no court costs.

This will be introduced just as spending cuts reduce the number of police patrols from their already skimpy level.

It's not just dodgy drivers who go out for a spin. Ministers do it too.