Congratulations to Hamish on his continued battle on behalf of all musicians against this pernicious legislation. It is a pity that the big guns of the music world forget their roots in pubs and clubs since this is where the attack lies.

It is a feature of this Government that it will never admit that it has got anything wrong.   If it did and corrected things it would carry much more respect.   I find ministers and officials throw up a blanket wall against any objections to its plans - replying with the same old bland and irrelevant replies, calling in aid Government appointees like Fergal Sharkey.   I have spoken to hundreds about the governments regulation of live music and have had a 100% response on the lines of "why. Havn't they got better things to do". The architect of this mess, supposed Jazz lover and self confessed folk music hater, Kim Howells, has long since moved on to some obscured role in the Ministry of Transport leaving behind regulation upon regulation.

I remember in the commons debate, reference to "light touch" and Temporary event notices in the same sentence as Local Authorities. As I said and thought then, local authorities do not do "light touch" hence the restrictions and lengthy form filling for the simplest event. If you want to invite the public into your garden to raise money for charity, you could hire a fire eater, a stunt motor bike rider or Roy Chubby Brown to tell blue jokes without a licence, but hire a string quartet, or a solo singer and you need a Temporary Event Licence for £21 and a degree in form filling.