Here we go again. After winning a High Court challenge over the police’s ban on their protests, the extremists of Extinction Rebellion are in line for a million-pound pay-out.

So how do they celebrate this unexpected windfall? Not with a party, that is for sure. No, they are planning another twelve long days of protests to bring London to a standstill again, saying they are determined to turn this into the ‘climate election.’ 

Haven’t we got enough to worry about with posturing and lying politicians of all persuasions?

And do any of these demented protesters have a shred of compassion for the ordinary folk they prevent getting to work to support their families, especially those on zero-hours contracts? No show, no pay, because some imbecile has glued himself or herself to a ruddy bridge or railway carriage.

Like the Crown Princess of their movement, Greta Thunberg, they argue that we ordinary people and hard workers are stealing their future. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that they are robbing hard-working people and their families of their present.

Surely it is time these anarchical demonstrations were banned. Why should thousands of innocent people suffer for the sake of a few bigoted climate changers?

And the collective madness spreads throughout our lives I’m afraid. A head teacher in Brighton has been branded ‘Britain’s biggest snowflake’ for banning children from playing ‘rough’ contact games like tag.

Tag for God’s sake! Unless it has changed radically since I was a child, it is hardly a dangerous pastime.

But Joanne Smith told pupils at Rudyard Kipling Primary School, they had to play with ‘gentle hands’ – banning traditional games like ‘it’ or ‘British Bulldog.’

Instead, children are being encouraged to hold hands or clap with each other while in the playground. Parents of children at the school were understandably angry when they were told about the crazy policy. Many are calling for the bizarre rule to be axed because it has left the kids feeling bored at playtime. 

But Mrs Smith is having none of it. She wrote in a letter to all parents: ‘To clarify, Gentle Hands does not mean no touching. The children are of course allowed to hold hands or play clapping games with a friend should they wish to. Gentle Hands simply means playing games outside that do not need to be physical.

‘This will ensure the playground is a happy, safe and calm place where everyone can enjoy their lunchtime running around and getting the exercise, we know is important to them.’

Oh big deal Ma’am. This will ensure another wagonload of future protesters who have not the slightest idea of how the real world works.

The school, that describes itself as ‘fully inclusive’ (whatever that may mean) has around four hundred and fifteen pupils and was rated as ‘good’ at the last Ofsted inspection

Yet the mother of a ten-year-old boy said: “The school have got it completely backwards. Sometimes, I don’t even know what planet Brighton is on. They’re banning children from playing tag? Why on earth would anyone think tag is a bad thing?

‘I’m going to teach my son about another game instead, that’ll really scare the snowflake headteacher – kiss-chase.”

Well said Ma’am. I am glad some parents in this crazy society understand how childhood works. Surely the reason for breaks in school are to allow children to let off steam so that classrooms will be calm places – or have I got that wrong? In my day – which admittedly was a very long time ago – playgrounds were noisy, demented places where everyone dashed madly around. People fell and were picked up and everyone had fun before the next lesson.

Walking past any junior school nowadays while a break is being had, I don’t think they have changed, despite the efforts of teachers like Joanne Smith. The decibel level is usually through the roof and I am sure that is not caused by holding hands.

Poor old Rudyard Kipling must be turning in his grave knowing how this politically correct and rather daft female is running his school. Children in Britain can’t do any of the traditional things that children always used to do. Conkers have long since been banned, now harmless games like Tag or British bulldogs are going the same way. No wonder the kids are turning to crime. Everyone needs some excitement in their life and it seem that there is not much else left for them to do.

A spokesperson for the school confirmed they were supporting ‘gentle hands.’

“We want to make sure the playground is a happy, safe and calm place where everyone can enjoy their lunchtime running around and getting the exercise, we know is important to them. With the full support of our staff and our Parents Teachers and Friends Association, we have reminded the children of our Gentle Hands rule during break and lunchtimes.

‘This is because last half term we had a few incidents involving rough play and play fighting that were causing children to get upset. Gentle Hands simply means playing games outside that do not need to be overly physical and risk hurting or upsetting other children.”

For Pete’s sake; have these teachers any concept of the real world that these children will eventually have to enter? It is at this age that they need opportunities to play around and occasionally get upset with each other damnit! That way they can work things out between themselves and arm themselves for getting upset in later life.

Getting upset is a normal part of being human and if these kids are not allowed to learn how to deal with it at their young age, they will grow into totally unstable adults – just like Miss Thunberg and her Extinction Rebellion acolytes!

Stop the world – I think I want to get off!