How an ‘anti-terrorism’ law cancelled a flower show

The 150-year-old Shrewsbury Flower Show is believed to be the largest and longest-running flower show in the world.

It attracts over 25,000 visitors, who enjoy arts and crafts, military bands, show jumping, a firework display, demonstrations by celebrity chefs and, of course, meticulously designed flower and plant displays.

The Shropshire Horticultural Society announced last week that the show would not be going ahead this year , in large part due to a bit of clumsy lawmaking.

Martyn’s Law was a kneejerk reaction to the Manchester Arena bombing.

The British state would rather make all of our lives a little less free, and a little less culturally enriched, than come down harder on Islamist extremists. It would rather erect more checkpoints at venues than protect our borders. The chances that Martyn’s Law stops a terror attack are, unfortunately, pretty slim. But it will further corrode the very free society politicians claim to be defending. Lauren Smith is a staff writer at spiked..