Half the nation, it seems, is hooked on Channel 4's Big Brother 3.

The goings-on in the Big Brother House have become essential viewing for a goodly proportion of the population. It's all a bit of fun I suppose: no one really takes it seriously.

However, the notion of Big Brother is insidiously creeping into British society like a decayed pipe leaking water: soaking into floorboards that ultimately rot and fail to support.

I suspect that this Government, in common with governments all over the world, does not like or trust those over whom they govern. They see the governed either as golden geese or as parasites. True, they issue platitudes to keep the population on board; spin, I think it's called.

The latest daft plan is to use satellites, 'spies in the skies', to monitor all car journeys and then to bill the motorist for his or her use of roads.

The heaviest penalties will be laid at the foot of those who use the busiest roads at peak times.

How naive does Alistair Darling, the proposer of this nutty notion, think the electorate is? As a member of the public who might be subject to this, and don't forget that there are twenty-four million cars on the roads of this country, I see this as not being simply a control measure for road users.

How will other Government departments be able to keep their grubby little mitts off this information? Information is power, and power is what twenty-first century government is about. Prime Ministers of all persuasions are always loath to cede authority.

When in opposition political parties know exactly what is right, but when in office a kind of collective amnesia suddenly afflicts them.

This Prime Minister especially has proved himself adept at forgetting from whom his authority has come, and subsequently centralising influence within the Whitehall corridors of power.

All kinds of interest groups are now, quite rightly, getting involved with decrying this latest silly scheme, the RAC, the AA and the Association of British Drivers see no advantage and, indeed, have great suspicions about the ultimate destinations of this information.

For the police and other authorities to have knowledge of where and when each of us has driven really brings 1984 into sharper and deadlier focus.

The many issues surrounding transport in this country, the railways, the buses, pollution, etc, cannot be addressed simply by charging motor ists for using the roads for which they have already paid many times over.

Until these problems have been solved the motorist will continue to see his expensive metal box on wheels as the only solution to his travelling needs.

Even the previous, discredited Transport Secretary of State has labelled this move as 'politically dangerous'. Useless he might have been as Minister, but Stephen Byers showed great ability as a politician.

And, as politicians, our leaders should beware killing so many Golden Geese that the only creatures left in the farmyard are vermin.