Mental health laws reform

MPs and peers have rebuked the government over reforms to mental health legislation. Health groups believe that mentally-ill people who are no threat to themselves or others could be detained under the new legislation.

Rosie Winterton, the health minister, said 'the Government wanted to increase safeguards for the "small number" of people detained because they posed a risk to themselves or others.'

Oh really? So perhaps Ms. Winterton could state why people who are no threat to the person or property of others should be detained?

This is just another example of New Labour's illliberalism. I believe that in a libertarian society, there should be laws that could incarcerate mentally ill. But only if it has been proven that they are a threat to the person and property of another. New Labour is steadily eroding the freedoms of the British people and the United Kingdom is gradually evolving into a police state.