Britain's most stupid laws

[Hardbopjazz]

My two favorites are 2 and 3.

on yahoo

Most ridiculous British law:

1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27 percent)

2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down (seven percent)

3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (six percent)

4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day (five percent)

5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter (four percent)

6. A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (four percent)

7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen (3.5 percent)

8. It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (three percent)

9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour (three percent)

10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (two percent)

[Edward]

My two favorites are 2 and 3.

on yahoo

Most ridiculous British law:

3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (six percent)

4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day (five percent)

5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter (four percent)

Well, now I know where to buy my tropical fish (and also where to relieve myself).

[ejp626]

Killing [and eating] swans is illegal in the UK - as they are the property of the monarch.

[Tom Storer]

7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen (3.5 percent)

I think the ownership of the tail of the queen is something the king and queen need to work out between themselves. And I don't see what whales have to do with it.

[MoGrubb]

Wonder what the queen'd do with a whale's tail. never mind I guess back in the day she'd eat it.

Edited November 7, 2007 by MoGrubb

[ejp626]

Wonder what the queen'd do with a whale's tail. never mind I guess back in the day she'd eat it.

Whales were a source of fuel back in the day (not a common every day one though), as well as ambergris used in perfumes (and that might be found in the tail, depending on how you defined tail).

[BruceH]

2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down (seven percent)

That one must go way back. Is the implication that all these old laws are still on the books?

[MoGrubb]

Wonder what the queen'd do with a whale's tail. never mind I guess back in the day she'd eat it.

Whales were a source of fuel back in the day (not a common every day one though), as well as ambergris used in perfumes (and that might be found in the tail, depending on how you defined tail).

Yes, I recalled the perfume, but forgot about fuel.

There's probably a symbolic significance with the king/head, queen/tail bit.

[tonym]

2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down (seven percent)

That one must go way back. Is the implication that all these old laws are still on the books?

But fortunately it's still OK to call the royal family a bunch of sponging in-breds

[Van Basten II]

For more idiotic laws.

http://dumblaws.com/index.php