The story of little Ashya King and his desperate parents is now world-wide news. If anyone is unfamilar with the main details then The Telegraph has an excellent summary. It is an all too human story of mixed motives and unintended consequences although, I suspect, that everyone thought they were acting in the best interests of little Ashya himself. The end result was what I can only call a tragic farce but with a happy ending - albeit, perhaps, only temporarily. A few days ago the State bureaucratic behemoth suddenly heaved itself into action and appeared to be unstoppable. Except - that it was stopped! Because we live a free and democratic country, and because our neighbours in Europe, thanks in no small part to British efforts in the past, now also share these political and social virtues, a free press combined with a public outcry wrought what is impossible in most countries in the world - a reversal by the State bureaucracy. Yes, yes, I know it doesn't happen all the time but that it happens at all is a cause for celebration. Try doing it in Putin's Russia or Communist China!
