Over at http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mary-wakefield-i-want-to-help-ndash-but-im-not-allowed-to-1769197.html Mary Wakefield is having a well placed bash at the CRB requirements. For years I have been moaning that regulations that make it so hard to look after kids that it they aren’t looked after at all aren’t a good thing and now it looks like even the clots who brought in the rules think they are best ignored.

Yes, we need to be careful of who is in charge of any vulnerable individuals but making it hard (and expensive) for volunteers means that many people just don’t bother. Holiday clubs, scout groups, youth clubs just close leaving kids the safe option of staying in watching internet porn or hanging about the park after dark (OK, they do have other options but plenty of them will choose these two).  The real peril is anyone who has criminal intent can probably fool the system anyway - it “just” requires false id.

And the law makers that brought in these regs? Well John Battle is arguing that the new checks should be applied to all MP’s but Harriet Harman reckons “common sense” should mitigate the requirement for MP’s to be on the vetting register. Gorden Brown is famously volunteering over his summer break but is he submitting himself to CRB checks? Number 10 refuses to say.

So one rule for us sick, evil people but common sense for those nice MP’s?