Marion McKeone: Britney Spears inches closer to freedom

The pop star, who was forced to relinquish control of her own finances to her father 13 years ago, succeeded in having him suspended as her conservator last week

Supporters of Britney Spears are jubilant after a hearing in Los Angeles in which her father, Jamie Spears, was removed by a judge as conservator of her estate

It’s Wednesday afternoon, and the austere exterior of the Stanley Mosk Superior Court in downtown Los Angeles is awash in a sea of pink. Grim-faced police and court officers stand shoulder to shoulder in front of the main entrance, arms folded high on their chests or occasionally resting on their nightsticks, as hundreds of fans and supporters of all ages and genders sing, sashay, dance and chant their support for Britney Spears.

The scene is ...