Another genius contribution to modern life from Geoff Hoon: compulsory voting.

Where to start?

There are two plausible reasons why voter turnout is down, neither of which would be ‘cured’ by compulsion.

First, it is possible that people simply don't want to vote, either because they just don't care or because they are basically content. I happen to think that would be a good thing - if things are ticking along nicely, terrific.

But I don't think that's the explanation. There are major issues which people feel very strongly about - crime, for instance.

So that leads to the second reason: they are disaffected with the parties. (On crime, for instance, neither party offers a thought-through genuinely tough policy, which would treat criminals - especially young thugs - as they deserve to be treated.)

Compulsion would do nothing to ask why people are disaffected, and would do nothing to resolve the problem. In fact, it makes things worse by papering over the cracks through using the might of the state to enforce voting, when the policies of the parties aren't able to persuade people to vote.

It's saying to voters that it's our fault that parties aren't offering what we want.

Welcome to the world of Labour Britain: ID cards and compulsory voting. They’ll be banning smoking next.