Having failed to prevent Ash Dieback arriving in the UK, the Government tries the Canute method to stop it spreading …

by | Nov 27, 2012 | Ban It, Bizarre News, brief snippets, Just plain weird, Laugh? I pissed myself, Politics, UK Misery, Wasp likes these, Well I never. | 4 comments

Wandering around amongst the latest Statutory Instruments, I came across this one in which the Government tries to pull a King Canute and orders the fungus not to spread (emphasis mine) :

The Plant Health (England) (Amendment) Order 2012

This Order amends the Plant Health (England) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2530) to include measures to prevent the introduction and spread of Chalara fraxinea T. Kowalski, including its teleomorph Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus, a cause of ash dieback.

In particular, the Order:
(a)prohibits the landing in or the spread within England of Chalara fraxinea T. Kowalski (article 2(7));

OK, I am sure it wasn’t intended to be read in such a manner but it certainly amused me.

4 Comments

    • Wasp

      dak – great minds think alike it seems 🙂

  1. opsimath

    Yup – that ought to fix it; I’m surprised no-one else came up with the idea before now …

    • Wasp

      opsimath – yes, they could try ordering all manner of things to stop 🙂