FOR quite a few years it’s been possible for unskilled, untrained, well-built men to make a good living without having to exert themselves mentally or physically.

All they needed was a comparatively cheap piece of simple equipment, a lack of any sense of justice or reason and a belligerent streak.

Clampers they are known as and despite years of outrage at the activities of these modern-day highwaymen they have been able to carry on ripping off motorists with impunity.

The Scots (and they do seem to be light years ahead of us imposing commonsense in many areas) acted to made clamping illegal almost 20 years ago.

But in England we’ve moaned and moaned but done nothing – until now that is.

The Protection of Freedoms Bill began its Commons stage last week and could become law by the end of the year and at last outlaw these rogues.

There is a problem though because making clamping illegal on private land is just one of a random collection of 107 things contained in the legislation – some of which are likely to meet fierce opposition.

They include restricting the retention of DNA samples provided by unconvicted suspects; protecting children from being fingerprinted at school; fixing the maximum pre-charge detention period under the Terrorism Act at 14 days; curtailing the vetting scheme for those working with children; allowing non-disclosure of some old convictions for gay sex; extending freedom of information; blocking the introduction of non-jury trials in serious fraud cases and allowing marriages at any time of night.

Let’s hope that nothing in this odd mix (which Deputy PM Clegg did want to call the ‘Great Reform Bill’) is so controversial that it gets thrown out or held up.

Even if it does go through a ban on clampers will come too late for poor old Mark Alker of Colne who became a victim when he parked outside his flat.

He’s lived there for four years and had the necessary permit but was targeted because it was displayed on the dashboard rather than hanging from the rear view mirror as demanded by the Preston-based clampers!

How dare these hooligans make such ridiculous stipulations.

It cost Mark £83 to have the clamp removed.

The sooner the clampers themselves are removed forever the better.