The new LibCon Coalition presents the best opportunity to repeal the prohibiton on so-called ‘extreme pornography’ that is likely to emerge for some time to come. Both parties had shown interest in removing some of the more dangerous civil liberty threatening legislation introduced by the Labour Government in recent years. With the LibDems now actually participating in Government, there is more chance of this actually happening. The official agreement between the parties includes plans to introduce a Freedom or Great Repeal Bill as well as the cessation of several specific policies, including ID cards.
Some time ago, Douglas Carswell, one of the most radically liberal Conservative MPs, launched a scheme to crowdsource the public via the Internet for a list of acts of Parliament and regulations that could be advantageously repealed. The result is a wiki drafted Great Repeal Bill, with the repeal of the extreme pornography legislation listed under civic deregulation. The wiki bill is rather more radical than any civil libertarian could hope for (it includes the de-criminalisation of drugs). However, it shows the direction that some within the LibCon Coalition are prepared to look, as well as an apparent willingness to listen to the public’s concerns with respect to civil liberties.
Perhaps the best opportunity to repeal, or at least amend favourably, the unnecessary, expensive, useless ‘Dangerous Pictures’ legislation will be by pushing for their inclusion within the real Freedom/Great Repeal Bill which will presumably be debated in the forthcoming parliament.