"... there is no reason to see it through 'rose-coloured glasses'"

I think that seeing things through rose coloured glasses is often a very sensible way of dealing with them. By that I mean, putting an interpretation on them that is most in line with our wishes. After all, that is precisely what we wish councils and licensees and courts to do.

Whether the rose-coloured way of looking at things coincides with the historical truth of the way the legislators were actually thinking is not germane. If we had reason to think that the way the legislation and the guidelines come out were more restrictive than the legislators actually intended, that would be relevant - but the other way round is a different matter entirely.

"On the face of it the law can be read as meaning that this activity does not need a licence to be carried out - but it can be demonstrated that in fact the people drafting the law did not intend that to be the case" - that really would be helpful wouldn't it?

......................

And with that kind of thing in mind, I am wholly opposed to any formal fencing-in of the kinds of dancing that could be covered by "Morris Dancing and similar".

Possibly the politicians were just thinking in terms of a limited spectrum of street dance, but it is perfectly possible to argue for one that is very wide ranging indeed, and I think we should encourage the rule-makers to accept that - even if some Morris purists may find it painful.

At Sidmouth one year for example there was a display of Punjabi Dancing. I heard people referring to it quite casually and sensibly as "a kind of Indian Morris Dancing". Fair enough - a bunch of men wearing bright costumes, adorned with bells and with lots of energetic leaping about.

At Leigh-on-Sea the range of street dancing typically includes Irish step-dancing and set-dancing, Belly-Dancing, Line Dance, Samba Bands and just about anything going, along with a whole range of teams from various English traditions. At the end of the festival they all take part in the procession, and finish up dancing together.

Most people seeing them pass sing or dancing at the end would probably refer to the whole lot as "some kind of Morris Dancers". I think we should defend the position that, behind all the interesting differences which are highly valued, there is an essential similarity, and that all our dancing traditions, new or old, should be able to use this hard won exemption.