If in doubt, blame ‘elf ‘n’ safety

Last month, the Mail twisted a story about gingerbread men being renamed gingerbread ‘persons’ as a joke into a typically hysterical story about political correctness.

Naturally, the story had nothing to do with the so-called “PC brigade” at all but the Mail still published it with the following headline anyway:

Today, the Mail is engaging in the same tactic of twisting a story to fit one of their pre-defined narratives with this article:

You can already see how this story doesn’t quite fit together. Litter is not generally considered to fall within the realms of health and safety. Surely it’s more of an environmental issue…

Anyway, this is how the Mail introduces the story:

Deep in the forest, in the dead of night, something stirred.

A mysterious figure with a sack on his back was darting from tree to tree.

When the morning mist cleared, colourfully wrapped Christmas gifts hung like baubles from dozens of firs in a 500-acre country park.

The Secret Santa had struck again, leaving toys, puppets, books and trinkets for anyone who cared to collect them.

Each bore the message: ‘Goodwill and good spirit’.

What a touching tale of generosity in an often cruel world. Trouble is, Santa might not have had any little helpers, but he didn’t bargain for today’s elf and safety legislation.

The Mail makes no attempt to name the piece of legislation which is to be blamed for this atrocity.

Nevertheless, the Mail continues:

Foul weather has ruined some of the presents left at Pembrey Country Park near Llanelli, South Wales – and the finders have simply thrown them away as litter.

So now he faces the threat of prosecution under litter and fly-tipping laws.

Ah, so now we’re talking about “litter and fly-tipping laws”. Again, I will assert that such laws are more of an environmental concern, rather than a health and safety issue.

As the park manager, Rory Dickinson, says:

Tis the season to be jolly and giving – but this does cause us a few problems. We cannot leave the presents out because of littering issues. Rangers have started a collection and will pass on the gifts to a suitable children’s charity.

Again, “littering issues” have no relation to health and safety at all. The story would have been perfect left as a quirky story about the mysterious Santa figure but, as usual, the Mail has to twist the story to fulfil a narrative, whether it makes sense or not.