As George W’s grandma always used to say: “It’s only funny until somebody loses an eye!” After which it is officially classified as torture, unless the people removing the eye do it humanely and really really think you’re a terrorist.
Proud Amnesty Internation badge wearer Philip Ruddock has correctly pooh-poohed the idea that sleep deprivation is torture. I mean, who hasn’t been kept up all night by a dripping tap? It’s bloody annoying, but you could hardly call it torture, I mean, trying to stay awake through the whole of Question Time just in case one of the cameras catches you nodding off is pretty damn stressful and you don’t see any members of parliament go bleating to the United Nations.
Good one!