Cut the crap

At last, a silver lining to the dark cloud of permanent austerity hanging over the UK and the rest of Europe:

Twenty years ago the government backed a major expansion of the CCTV network - now funds are being cut and cameras shut off...
...The UK has one of the largest CCTV networks in the world. But as cash-strapped councils look for cost-saving measures, the effectiveness of public CCTV is under scrutiny.

BBC

For once, they're thinking about cutting back on a white elephant that's grown out of all proprtion, rather than just on services that make people's lives better:

Britain has an out-of-control surveillance culture that is doing little to improve public safety but has made our cities the most watched in the world. Figures suggest that Britain is home to 20% of the world’s population of CCTV cameras, despite being home to just 1% of the world’s population. One study suggested the average Londoner is caught on camera more than 300 times every day [although, even in the most heavily-monitored parts of the capital, CCTV records can turn out be mysteriously patchy at the most inconvenient moments].

Big Brother Watch