I think it’s fair to say that the lockdown has been pretty annoying and detrimental for everyone taking part in it, but it’s been made even more of a ballache by the people that have steadfastly opposed it and it’s even more annoying when they’re trying to co-opt some ancient law as their reason for dong so.
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One of these people is salon owner Sinead Quinn, who runs the Quinn Blakey hairdressers in Oakenshaw near Bradford. She has refused to close her establishment during the second lockdown and has instead decided to stay open, citing the Magna Carta and saying that the shop is ‘under the jurisdiction of common law’ and opening up because they have a right to earn a living.
She’s also posted a bunch of videos on her Instagram account of her arguing with police who are trying to get her to close the shop down, which I’m sure will go down well with certain people. They haven’t gone down so well with others though, as the comments seem fairly split on her actions with some calling her a legend and others calling her a selfish cunt.
Make your own mind up I guess:
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Whilst nobody would argue that these times are particularly hard for people like Sinead to maintain their livelihood, the fact is that the virus is only going to spread further if we don’t continue to stay locked down and refusing to adhere to these rules is only going to cost people their lives and make the process go on way longer. The fact that Kirklees has the fifth highest infection rate in the country is hardly going to get people to back her either.
The reason that her fine has reached £17,000 is because Quinn keeps getting hit with them and refusing to close the salon, saying that she doesn’t consent to the law or the fine. The first fine was £1,000, then the second one was £2000, and then when she was found open this Saturday she was fined £5000 and another £10,000 on Monday.
That comes to £17,000 in total and she’s clearly not going to be paying these fines, so it’ll be interesting to see if her Magna Carta defence works when this inevitably ends up going to trial. I wouldn’t be so confident but fair play to her trying. Only wish it wasn’t over an issue like this.
For more of the same, check out the LibLabCon – that was fucking weird too. What is it with these people that love the Magna Carta?
