London riot jail alternative

Send rioters to Hebrides not jail urges petitioner 19/8/11

The Prime Minister has been urged to punish English rioters by exiling them to the Hebrides.

According to an e-petition lodged to the government five years in the “primitive” islands will be shock therapy for the mass of criminals who left a trial of death and destruction in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

Petitioner Richard Miller demanded: “All rioters and looters from the recent troubles in English cities should be banished to the Outer Hebrides for five years. This would be much, much, cheaper than keeping them in expensive prisons, saving the taxpayer money.

“Five years of being forced to live in the Outer Hebrides with none of the comforts of English city living e.g. running water, electricity, decent food, culture and shopping, will put them on the straight and narrow, and frighten them not to riot or loot again.

“Many local people there look after sheep part-time, so they can earn a small amount of extra money looking after rioters and looters as well.”

MP Angus Brendan Macneil is outraged that the UK government allowed the petition to proceed. It has since been rejected by civil servants.

Mr Macneil said: “Obviously the author of this e-petition, Richard Miller, has never dared to venture to the Outer Hebrides, where tourists flock in the hundreds of thousands every year. My constituents are astounded that such comments are allowed to be published on a UK Government website.

“According to the website, e-petitions are checked by a government department, which states that an e-petition can be rejected if it contains libellous, false or, defamatory statements or, if it contains offensive, joke or nonsense content. All of these reasons certainly apply to this e-petition and questions really do need to be asked as to how this was allowed to be published.”

He added: “I will be asking the department responsible, The Ministry of Justice, to explain why they have published this e-petition.

“Perhaps Mr Miller should take the time to visit the Outer Hebrides where he can sample true Hebridean hospitality.

“Maybe this is the last straw for the camel’s back on the way to Scottish Independence.”