Government asked to make law breaking illegal

I don't normally indulge in e-democracy, because frankly it's a nonsense, but this is great: some bright spark has decided that the laws against breaking into airports aren't enough. They've asked the Government to ban "groups like Plane Stupid" from protesting within a mile of all airports. I don't fancy their chances much, but what the hell: if you agree with them, then add your name to the 15 people already on it.

Firstly let's be clear: unless you've cajoled two million people into signing up through a mixture of lying, lying and lying some more then your poxy petition will get about 300 people to sign it and Number 10 will just throw it away. The endless rush to get more signatures than the last petition has numbed our already bored-with-democracy leaders, who now have to see millions of people standing outside the House of Commons waving pitchforks and large banners with 'Behead the Bankers' before wondering if they should enact a law (unless its to restrict civil liberties, in which case it takes just one phone call from Scotland Yard to see us all locked up for the better part of a month).

So given that our protests tend to be accountable (we all get nicked) and easy to spot (we're the ones waving banners blocking your taxiway) I can't see this petition turning into a law anytime soon. But that's not what Number 10 petitions are all about. They're an easy way to persuade the population that they're doing something important while ensuring that their efforts come to nothing. E-democracy like this disenfranchises people as much as rigged consultations and rooms full of spin doctors. After all, if Gordon and his mates wanted to hear what we had to say, they'd ask us, not BAA PR gurus.