Pregnant Urination, Suspicious Salmon, and Polish Potatoes: Eight More Absurd Legal Myths and Truths from the UK

Britain’s legal landscape is a patchwork of ancient statutes, obscure royal prerogatives, and the occasional modern oddity. Combined with a healthy dose of internet folklore and pub logic, it’s no surprise that some strange “laws” have cemented themselves as fact in the public imagination. But which are genuine curiosities left on the statute books – and which are pure legal fantasy?

Here are eight more laws and myths to make you question everything you thought you knew about British justice.

A policeman must give a pregnant woman his hat to urinate in – FALSE

While it may be a comforting thought for those caught short, there’s no legislation or case law that gives such a right. There are no laws specifically allowing this, nor is there any enforceable rule that compels police officers to hand over their helmets.

It was rumoured that a clause to this effect was once proposed during the drafting of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, but it was never passed. And while urinating in public may be dealt with under local bylaws or public order offences, there’s certainly no statutory exception for expectant mothers — or police headgear.

It is illegal to import Polish potatoes – TRUE

This Order was enacted due to ring rot, a serious potato disease found in parts of Poland at the time. While many assumed Brexit would sweep away this spud-based statute, it remains on the books.

So, unless you fancy a fine with your pierogi, make sure you fill in the proper forms before bringing Polish potatoes across the border.

A shop must sell you an item at the price on the label – FALSE

In reality, they don’t. The key legal principle here comes from contract law. Price labels in a shop are considered an invitation to treat, not an offer. The classic case is Fisher v Bell [1961], where a shopkeeper displaying a flick knife in a window wasn’t deemed to be making an offer for sale (and thus committing an offence(. You, the customer, make the offer when you bring the item to the till, and the shop is free to accept or decline it.

So, while it may feel unfair, shops are under no legal obligation to sell an item for the incorrectly labelled price — though many do so voluntarily as a goodwill gesture.

All beached whales belong to the King – TRUE

The rationale? These large and rare creatures were considered valuable and symbolic. Even today, technically, if a whale washes ashore in the UK, the Receiver of Wreck (a real job currently held by Steve White) must be notified, and the whale is the property of the Crown.

So if you’re thinking of harvesting blubber from the beach, then beware of the King’s fishery rights.

It is illegal to die in Parliament – FALSE

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), this is complete nonsense. There is no law making it illegal to die in Parliament. In fact, several notable individuals have died on the premises over the centuries, including Welsh Minister Michael Roberts and Lord Montague of Oxford.

The likely origin of the myth is the idea that Parliament is a “royal palace,” and thus carries some peculiar privileges. But death, a decidedly non-legislative event, remains stubbornly lawful wherever it occurs, least of all because it would be impossible to punish.

It is illegal to be homeless – TRUE

Originally introduced to tackle the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and mass demobilisation, the Act criminalised the “idle and disorderly.” Although largely obsolete in practice, it has been used in recent years to target people sleeping rough prompting calls for its repeal.

Despite widespread condemnation from homelessness charities and MPs, the law remains in force in England and Wales (though it’s been repealed in Scotland).

Paying council tax makes you liable for terrorism – FALSE

These arguments are legally meaningless. The idea that statutory law requires individual consent misunderstands how parliamentary sovereignty works. Council tax liability arises from statute, particularly the Local Government Finance Act 1992, and courts routinely dismiss pseudo-legal defences based on “Freeman” ideology.

So no, you’re not financing terrorism when you pay council tax, you’re just making sure your bins get collected – with some Councils releasing specific guidance on this topic.

It is an offence to handle salmon suspiciously – TRUE

Originally intended to combat black-market fish trading, the law is still on the books. It applies when someone receives or disposes of salmon they reasonably suspect has been illegally fished.

So, if you’re lurking around a fishmonger with a shifty expression and a bag full of haddock, you may not be in immediate danger unless it’s actually salmon and the circumstances are, indeed, suspicious.

---

British law is full of quirks, curiosities, and occasionally confusing myths. Some, like the salmon clause or Polish potato ban, are genuine remnants of niche legislative concerns. Others are simply fiction repeated until believed.

In any case, it’s worth checking the statute book before repeating legal “facts” at your next pub quiz – or before attempting to discharge a cannon or drive cattle through the streets of London as explored in our first myths and odd laws article.

---