Today we learn our Government is increasing Magistrates' sentencing powers to allow them to sentence people to up to 12 months custody - up from 6 months.

This to reduce the backlog caused by their silly Covid restrictions in Crown Courts. You can bet it stays that way too - Mags Courts are cheaper than Crown to run.

Never mind that Mags are amateurs and there was a reason for the limitation. No calculation of whether this will mean more use of custody in prisons creaking at the seams. Or more wrongful convictions.

How much more of this lockdown-caused nonsense is to come: doctors appointments with dental nurses? School caretakers to take lessons?

They seem incapable of thought or joining any dots. The erosion of our protections and cheapening of public life continues at pace off the back of The Great Panic of 2020.