Don’t make plans to visit Vixen Tor on Dartmoor any time soon: “The owner, Mary Alford, was afraid of being sued by members of the public who injured themselves on the tor, which was named after Vixana, a witch who reputedly died there and was turned to stone.” (Richard Savill, “Owner asked to restore access to Vixen Tor”, Telegraph (U.K.), Mar. 5).

More: Via Decs & Excs, Mar. 6, comes word that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has now called for a “real debate over risk”:

Mr Blair said that the fears of public service workers over the potential for a US-style litigation culture had made a deep impact on him.

“I was quite shocked to be told by people who were running a nursery that they were worried about letting the kids out into the playground when it was wet, in case one of them slipped and fell and they ended up having a legal case,” he said.

“We have got to look at a way of getting people protection on that.”

(Andrew Woodcock, “Blair Questions ‘Needless Panic’ over Issues”, The Scotsman, Mar. 5). For more on the “compensation culture” debate, see our U.K. page.

Filed under: United Kingdom