Britain considers silly laws, from salmon handling to armour wearing
Stephen Castle

London: It is not a great idea to carry a plank of wood down a busy sidewalk. Nor should you ride a horse while drunk, or handle a salmon under suspicious circumstances.

But should such antics be illegal? Still?

Thanks to centuries of legislating by parliament, which bans the wearing of suits of armour in its chambers, Britain has accumulated many laws that nowadays seem irrelevant, and often absurd.

So voluminous and eccentric is Britain's collective body of 44,000 pieces of primary legislation that it has a small team of officials whose sole task is to prune it.

Their work is not just a constitutional curiosity, but a bulwark against hundreds of years of lawmaking running out of control.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/world/britain-considers-silly-laws-from-salmon-handling-to-armour-wearing-20151215-gloi6c

-- News.com.au 2015-12-16

No armor in parliament? Does that include bullet proof vests?

What does this story mean for the legal principle "Ignorant juris non excusal" or "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" when a UK citizen is expected to know 44,000 pieces of primary legislation? It makes Dickens' character Mr. Bumble in Oliver Twist correct when he says "The law is an ass".

No armor in the house?? no just gas masks to be able to put up with all the verbal sh.te that they come up with.

I hope they don't remove the law allowing you to shoot a Welshman with your crossbow if you find him within Chester city walls after sunset. I'm sure it may still prove useful some day.

I hope they don't remove the law allowing you to shoot a Welshman with your crossbow if you find him within Chester city walls after sunset. I'm sure it may still prove useful some day.

Damn! I wonder if anyone ever invited Neil Kinnock to Chester?

Life is full of missed opportunities.

I hope they don't remove the law allowing you to shoot a Welshman with your crossbow if you find him within Chester city walls after sunset. I'm sure it may still prove useful some day.

So funny, but I think that law should be expanded not expurged.

What does this story mean for the legal principle "Ignorant juris non excusal" or "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" when a UK citizen is expected to know 44,000 pieces of primary legislation? It makes Dickens' character Mr. Bumble in Oliver Twist correct when he says "The law is an ass".

They should make all prospective immigrants learn them all before granting citizenship.