Laugh out loud headlines and newspaper articles, many of which are simply unbelievable - but true. A real feast of laughter.

Books Monthly- August 2011

This book is extremely humorous in terms of its subject as well as the way it is written. Sue Blackhall writes about the story behind these crazy headlines in the wittiest way, making the readers actually laugh out loud. These days, everything has to be politically correct, otherwise it is seen as offensive or derogatory such as 'Baa Baa Black Sheep'. This traditional, well-loved nursery rhyme was being tackled by Birmingham City Council in 2000 who wanted the rhyme to be banned, claiming that it was racist and portrayed negative stereotypes. Schools in Oxfordshire also thought the nursery rhyme was politically incorrect, so they changed the title and words to 'Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep', which consequently adds an extra syllable and to many, ruins the rhyme. Everything that anyone does in this day and age has to adhere to health and safety regulations, because everything is a health and safety risk. Emergency services do not rush to our aid when we need them because they have to check out whether or not it is a real emergency and fill out risk assessments and heaps of other forms. Form filling has also become a necessity, providing nobody in particular a form that states what you have done/intend to do - what is the point of most of these forms we have to fill out? This book contains 165 pages of bewildering unwritten rules that people are expected to abide by in order to be 'politically correct'. Failing to be politically correct means people are looked upon as being offensive or rude. This book is full of hilarious accounts from newspapers all over the UK that really are unbelievable. Some of the stories in here are shocking, whilst being a funny book, it also highlights the stupidity of just how politically correct people can be.

Susan (Customer Review)

In Britain today we no longer live in a Nanny State, but more a Governess State; one that is ruled with stick and cane if we so much as step over the line. Here in this delightful little book the Sue Blackhall takes an amusing look at the three most deadliest phrases in the human language and how they practically dictate what we do and how we do it: Human Rights, Political Correctness and, perhaps the worst of the three, Health and Safety.
This book takes an entertaining look on headline making stories from modern Britain, including criminals having more human rights than their victims, changing the ending of nursery rhymes so as not to upset children, and a man ending up with a criminal record because he left his bin lid 4 inches open - a health and safety risk apparently.
Some stories are petty and some are pedantic, but all highlight the true folly of a nation that really is Fool Britannia. If you don't laugh at this book - check your pulse.

Paul V (Customer Review)

"Fool Britannia; Headline Making Stories from Jobsworth Britain" is all about the seemingly modern phenomenon of political correctness and the myriad of stories detailed in the press in recent years that tells of a world apparently gone mad. The writer, Sue Blackhall, is a former toiler on Fleet Street who has authored several titles concerning military history, scandal and the paranormal.

In the book we read of the 15 year old boy who was told to offer proof of his age before he could purchase a bag of wine gums and of the woman of diminutive stature who, after asking her taller daughter to get her vodka and rum mixers from a high shelf, was then not allowed to buy them because the store said she was buying them for a minor. Also we hear of the 24 year old girl who had to offer proof of identity to procure a 51p slice of quiche and the counter assistant at a village shop who was threatened with prosecution for committing the heinous offence of singing to herself whilst going about her work. "Fool Britannia" describes a country where a originally well intentioned idea, political correctness, seems to have been taken to ludicrous lengths and somewhat discredited as a result. A fascinating and quite funny insight into the stupidities of modern Britain.

Jayne (customer review)

Shoppers barred because they don't fit the bill, motorists targeted while real villains win the day, health and safety becoming a sick joke and Big Brother putting a dampener on our freedom, fun and fancies. Yes, we have become a country so politically correct that just about everything we do is criminal. The 'Thought Police' that blight every institution ranging from education and energy to councils and churches now have such a rigid rule book that everyday living is a hazard to us all. Does it all make you so irate that you want to emmigrate? Or do just laugh off the eccentricities that are forever England? (Oh and Ireland, Scotland and Wales too!). In this book we have compiled the headline-hitting harrassment of ordinary folk over the year. We hope you can see the funny side of a 'Credit Crunch' country that is suffering from 'Credibility Crunch' as well. Some tales are pitiful, some petty and some just downright pedantic - but all all echo to the refrains of Fool Britannia..

Spartacus Educational