Don't deny it, David Lammy is right - chemical castration is moral necessity

For too long, this country has treated dangerous sexual predators with kid gloves. We lecture them, rehabilitate them, and then - more often than not - watch them walk straight back out to reoffend. Victims' lives are destroyed, families left in pieces, and yet the debate always circles back to the so-called "human rights" of the offender. Well, I've got no sympathy. None.

That's why the Government's decision to expand its chemical castration pilot from four prisons in the south-west to 20 is one of the boldest and most sensible moves we've seen in years. David Lammy is right: we need tools that actively reduce the risk these predators pose. And the science backs this up. Study after study has shown that the medication dramatically lowers "problematic sexual arousal" and cuts reoffending rates. Put bluntly, it works.

I've been banging this drum for years. While campaigners and lawyers bleat about whether this form of punishment is "humane," victims are living a lifetime sentence of trauma. Where is the humanity for them? Where is the compassion for the young children robbed of their innocence, or the women whose safety is stolen forever?

Chemical castration is not torture. It's a medical intervention that makes these men less of a threat to society. We already prescribe drugs to control violence, depression, even addictions. This is no different. It's simply about putting the rights of the innocent above the comforts of the guilty.

And let's be clear: anyone opposing this isn't defending "civil liberties" - they're enabling predators. They're choosing to side with rapists and abusers over their victims. That's the uncomfortable truth they don't want to admit.

I know some will call this extreme. But what's truly extreme is the idea that we should prioritise the feelings of monsters over the safety of the public. If you rape, abuse, or prey on the vulnerable, you forfeit your right to live without consequences.

It's time we stopped pandering to the rights of monsters. Chemical castration isn't just an excellent idea - it's a moral necessity.

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They say love heals all wounds, but I never imagined it would fix my blood pressure. Yet that's exactly what happened the moment I married my wife, LaLa.

For years, we were an ocean apart - she in New York, me in London - and the long-distance stress was brutal. At a routine GP check-up, I was stunned to be told my blood pressure was dangerously high. I was put straight on medication and ordered to track it twice a day. For three long months, I did exactly as the doctor prescribed. The result? Nothing. My numbers wouldn't budge.

Then came the big change. LaLa packed up her life, moved to London, and we got married. And here's the miracle: almost overnight, my blood pressure plummeted. No new pills, no fad diets - just the calming presence of a wife who makes me laugh, supports me, and keeps me grounded.

Science says it's no coincidence. Studies show married people enjoy lower stress, reduced cortisol levels, and a stronger ability to cope with life's pressures. I didn't need a research paper to tell me - I could see it in my own blood pressure monitor.

So yes, doctors saved me from the worst. But marriage saved me in a way medicine never could. It turns out the old cliché is true: happy wife, happy life. And in my case, it's not just a saying - it's the secret to a healthier heart.

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I should probably stay off social media. Every time I scroll, I'm bombarded by the same smug chorus from the political left, convinced they hold the moral high ground over anyone who dares to disagree.

Their favourite pastime? Ridiculing, condemning, and talking down to those with opposing views. It's not debate - it's bullying dressed up as virtue.

A left-leaning friend of mine recently tried to do something refreshing: engage with people on the right. She interviewed them, asked about their concerns, and posted the conversations online.

For her efforts, she was drowned in abuse. The reaction wasn't curiosity or openness - it was outrage. The right, she was told, are "uneducated" and "dumb," and shouldn't even be given a platform. So much for tolerance.

Compare that with the right of centre, who, in my experience, are far less personal. Yet if you fly the St George's flag, you're branded a knuckle-dragger. Admit you agree with Trump on one policy, and suddenly you're a misogynist.

The left need to get out of their cosy echo chambers and listen to what the rest of Britain actually thinks. Moral superiority isn't the same as being correct.

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Grandparents and parents, this one's for you! Children who develop strong reading skills in primary school could earn up to £65,000 more over their lifetime compared to those who don't, according to new research. But the benefits of reading go far beyond the bank balance.

Gemma Shelley, founder of the innovative publishing service Little Book Factory, says the impact of reading is profound. "Reading with your child literally rewires their brain for success," she explains.

"When you read together, you're activating multiple areas of your child's developing brain simultaneously - language processing, memory, attention, and emotional centres all fire together."

Determined to help children fall in love with stories, Gemma launched Little Book Factory, a unique service that transforms a child's own writing into a beautifully illustrated hardback book.

Unlike traditional personalised stories, which simply drop a child's name into a pre-written tale, Little Book Factory takes their original words and artwork and turns them into a professional keepsake.

So why not read to your grandchild today and help fire up their future?

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During last week's state visit, Melania Trump treated every pavement like a runway, proving once again that style is her second language.

From sleek tailoring to that gloriously oversized hat, she looked every inch the former supermodel she is. Critics sniffed that the hat was "too much" - but let's be honest, that's just jealousy talking.

If anyone else tried it, they'd look like they were hiding from the rain. On Melania, it was pure chic theatre. The woman knows how to dress like a First Lady with flair.