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There?s been some discussion recently (joe king and friends) about whether David Blunkett will have a tougher attitude to porn than Jack Straw. I don?t think so ? and not just because he will be too busy with crime and drugs. I think it has more to do with Europe.

Anyone under the age of 30 has grown up believing we are already in Europe ? after all, Ted Heath got us into the then Common Market in 1973. And the big banks now feel the same. As long ago as 1997 business customers could open euro accounts, so they could trade more easily with customers and suppliers on the continent. And the banks themselves were quick to start dealing in euros, because they were afraid that London, as a major financial centre, would lose out to somewhere like Frankfurt (that could still happen, by the way).

In other words, whether the diehards like it or not, we are going to join the EU, single currency and all, sooner rather than later. And I believe that various aspects of our culture are being manipulated to facilitate the process.

One problem was, until recently, the British (Government?s) attitude to porn. Imagine what would have happened if they had maintained their previous stance. One fine day the Government judges that the time is right, the referrendum is done and dusted, we?re on the verge of signing the paper? and then some Eurocrat stands up and says, ?You naughty Brits, your attitude to porn doesn?t match the rest of Europe ? so lighten up or we won?t let you in.?

And then someone in power in Britain would have to commit political suicide by coming right out in public in favour of? aargh? porn! Of course it would never happen ? and it has been arranged so that there is now no need for it to happen.

Whether he was tipped the wink or they just chose someone they knew would have a more sensible attitude, Andreas Whitam-Smith has done that job for them. And the cunning thing is, they haven?t had to change the law! Our laws are still the same, and decisions are still made in the courts by a judge and jury. But by changing our censorship guidelines on R18? hey presto, we are very nearly in line with the rest of Europe ? and no political heads have rolled.

So unless there is a major tabloid scandal in the near future with some gruesome pervert claiming ?It woz porn wot made me do it? ? which will demand instant, knee-jerk reactions from all political parties ? I think the Government will be quite happy to leave the question of porn where it is. Conveniently brushed under the carpet and forgotten.

Now you can all shoot me down in flames

I think you're entirely right. It strikes me as a very British solution.

I hope you're right, Ian. As for the tabloid involved if any major scandal does arise, no doubt it'll be The Scum or The Screws Of The World with their double-standards again!!

As for Blunkett, let's give him a few weeks. He can't be as inept as Straw, I hope.

It seems like Blunkett may not be in charge of this policy area anyway. From what I have read, responsibility is to pass from the Home Office to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, under Tessa Jowell.

Don't know much about Tessa Jowell, but at least they've got rid of the detestably poncy (anti porno) Chris Smith.

Dibble.

Lets face it - nobody is ever going to make any 'decision' as such on porno. It is too controversial a subject to really 'do anything' with now.

If they tighten laws, it sends the wrong messages to Europe, and they get accused of being a 'nanny state'. If they make a decision too relax the laws, all the elderly people and the racists who voted tory accuse them of not caring about the family and promoting violent sexual assault. They can't win.

So.. they let it be.

It's not really a hot potatoe at the moment. People aren't aprticularly interested. If they have any reservations about sex and people watching it, it's more to do with the whole '9pm watershed' issue.

So, where does that leave us? Well, I suggest that the future is looking good. Thank the good Lord in his blue sky, Labour got in again. That means we will almost certainly drift towards a higher degree of intergration within Europe and slowly but surely all our silly little laws will disolve and we will adopt European standards on things like porn.

That day is close. I'd say within the lifetime of the next parliament for sure. Some of the rags will no doubt comment on it, but I think they'll be too distracted by the single currency to spend too much time worrying about other stuff.

While I agree with most of the views in this thread I can't help remembering that this is an area that has the potential to act as a pressure valve for for the government when it hits a rough patch. Despite all the warmth that our home secretary projects because he is unable to see, and has a nice cuddly puppy, he is still a politician, and politicians have one objective in mind - staying in power. Let's not forget that this government is the one that is hot on "Women's Issues", and has in its ranks the likes of Claire Short, who led the crusade against Page 3 (surely you aren't all too young to remember that?) and the delectable Margaret Beckectt whose generalisation on child abuse and pornography was breathtaking. And Glenda Jackson may not be at the heart of power, but she has media presence and boy, can she act! We should take no comfort from the fact that the Prime Minister entertains Mr. Desmond at No. 10 - all it takes is one prat to claim that he is a victim of porno and couldn't help himself when it came to committing his crime, and we will be back to where we were years ago. Headlines and soundbites are more important that substance.
It' a little early to be getting excited about the barriers coming down.

Well done everybody on that one, I agree with all of you. Excellent. I'm doing Everyman this week with Joan Bakewell on this very subject and I shall quote some of the points made here if that's ok, You're all obviously far more intelligent than me, but nonetheless I shall claim it was all my idea!! Sorry guys!!

Well if you're going to steal our ideas, what about letting us steal your job for a week or two, Ben? What do you mean we aren't up to it?!?

Ben Dover and Joan Bakewell doing Every Man - now there's a scenario to dream about! "Gonzo and the Thinking Man's Crumpet!"