Murder is murder, abhorrent to all sensible people, but like any crime it can and must be forgiven. The moment we start refusing someone’s right to appeal, and insist that life means life, then surely we have lost part of our humanity. Yet earlier saw Chris Grayling do just that: he went on tv to denounce a european human rights ruling that said lifers should have the prospect of release. He was speaking as if certain criminals should just be locked up and left to rot, and that this was a sensible,popular and civilised thing to do. It is the very opposite! It shows a lack of faith in and understanding of humanity; a willingness to subjugate and punish; an arrogance and inhumanity that I find disturbing. How dare the tories refuse a man hope, the opportunity to redeem himself? It is their ‘we know best’ attitude I can’t stand; the way they think they are the arbiters of justice, and that criminals are scum to be locked up at their will. Indeed, it was pointed out that they only allowed the end of capital punishment on the understanding that ‘life meant life’. Is this the kind of arrogant, judgemental snob we want running the country.