The excellent West Wing once taught me an excellent term: christmas tree bill. The meaning of which is explained thusly:

In the United States Congress, a Christmas tree bill is a political term referring to a bill that attracts many, often unrelated, floor amendments. A Christmas tree bill consists of many riders. The amendments which adorn the bill may provide special benefits to various groups or interests. The term refers to the proposed legislation being subject to having each member of Congress hang their own amendment on it.

I think that this wonderful new justice/policing deal might well fall into that category. Minus the US Congress angle, of course.

It took 130 hours of negotiation, and things as unrelated as a failed saving scheme seem to have been included. Which just goes to show: the supposedly idealistic and blinkered politicians that run Our Wee Country are just a greedy, opportunistic and unprincipled as those in other countries. They’ll do what needs to be done, sure, but only if you place enough pork into the trough for them and their constituents.

Impressed? Not much…