The state of Politics in general
I found this on the ChiswickW4.com site thought the people and politicians of Brentford might be interested. I have included some of my own thoughts on the subject at the bottom. I don’t expect them to be popular.I have just been finding out about the proposed act of parliament that jeopardises our parliamentary rights in a very basic way. The Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill going through Parliament now, would give government the right to make new laws and alter existing ones without going through parliament. Yes, that’s right. See the Times article below, which sums up the situation well.If ever there was a time to write to your MP...Here’s the link to contact your MP (it figures out who that is for you), which takes literally a couple of minutes. http://www.hoojum.com/LARRBPass it on if you feel so moved.The Times February 21, 2006“The boring title of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill hides an astonishing proposal. It gives ministers power to alter any law passed by Parliament. The only limitations are that new crimes cannot be created if the penalty is greater than two years in prison and that it cannot increase taxation. But any other law can be changed, no matter how important. All ministers will have to do is propose an order, wait a few weeks and, voilà, the law is changed. For ministers the advantages are obvious: no more tedious debates in which they have to answer awkward questions. Instead of a full day’s debate on the principle of the proposal, detailed line-by-line examination in committee, a second chance at specific amendment in the Commons and a final debate and vote, ministers will have to face at most a short debate in a committee and a one-and-a-half hour debate on the floor. Frequently the Government will face less than that. No amendments will be allowed. The legislative process will be reduced to a game of take-it-or-leave-it. The Bill replaces an existing law that allows ministers to relieve regulatory burdens. Business was enthusiastic about that principle and the Government seems to have convinced the business lobby that the latest Bill is just a new, improved version. What makes the new law different, however, is not only that it allows the Government to create extra regulation, including new crimes, but also that it allows ministers to change the structure of government itself. There might be business people so attached to the notion of efficiency and so ignorant or scornful of the principles of democracy that they find such a proposition attractive. Ordinary citizens should find it alarming.” IM not sure what the point in writing is, if your MP cared about your civil liberties you would not need to write they would be stating the case already. We the British people would still be able to marCh on parliament as apposed to just cheering when other nations do it The last legal protester against the illegal war on Iraq would not of been moved out of Parliament Square. Lambeth Council would not of stopped the march for the re legalisation of Cannabis by simply refusing to let them have the forms needed to apply for the right to march. One would not have to submit the text of your speech before being allowed to speak at censured (formerly known as speakers) corner.Nobody in Parliament would be stating that the EU Human Rights Act was 'bad' for Britain and the UN human Rights act, written by the British would have been ratified into British law and you and I would have rights under it. Democracy is dead in Britain and the British are to stupid to notice, I would suggest starting a revolution but that would simply result in detention without trail under the Terrorism (Suss) laws. Still you have to laugh, its all part of growing up and being British, Subjects of the Crown as apposed to Citizens of a free Country
Philip Walsh ● 7004d6 Comments