The Abolition of Parliament Bill

[Tom]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6-2049791,00.html

Now I'm no expert, but I feel rather uneasy at the news of the government trying to push a bill through that gives them power to impose new laws without debate or amendment from the Lords.

Hitler did a similar thing once.

Whats even more disturbing is that we have a government who could even consider proposing this. Before long we'll have politicians replacing judges.

 

[ECA]

Heil Tony.
He saw the light at the last party conference and decided he wanted a piece of that action.

 

[old.user4556]

Hitler did a similar thing once.

Not necessarily a bad thing.

* Austrian Jail sets mode +b Big^G

 

[rynnor]

What an amazing tool it would be for any repressive government - it can even be used on itself to remove its limitations as its currently drafted - what need would there be for a parliament if all lawmaking powers are in the hands of ministers?

I think its the single scariest statute I have ever seen in the UK - its so blandly worded yet could be used to entirely override our existing democratic procedures - you could suspend elections forever and give hereditary life and death power to the Blair family for example...

 

[Ormorof]

woah, pretty scary article

 

[Alliandre]

I may be missing something, but don't Lords have to pass this bill? Why would they do that?

 

[Frizz]

I may be missing something, but don't Lords have to pass this bill? Why would they do that?

Indeed, something seems missing...

 

[Tilda]

The Lords would have to pass it, which makes me think it won't get very far. However, if the Lords fail to pass it twice in the same form, the government can push it through anyway.

 

[Earl]

The lords don't have to pass it, government can use the parliament bill (think thats the name) to push it through after a year.

 

[DaGaffer]

The idea is sound, there's a lot of fiddly crap on the statute books that has to go through the whole commons/lords palaver to get amended, and there's only so much Parliamentary time available. However, the Tories want to put strict limits on what this regulation is used for (e.g. you couldn't use it to amend the Parliament Act), which Labour claim is unneccessary, in true 'trust us' paternalistic New Labour mode. I was listening to some Labour Minister not answering the question (as usual) on the Today Programme this morning, and it just made my blood boil; their whole attitude can as so fucking patronising it makes me sick.

 

[Chilly]

well, if botht he tories and the lords dislike it, it wont go through in its current form - and you can be sure the lib dems dont like it.

No one should ever have this much power - just look what it does to presidents of the US? They have executive power to do all sorts of shit at the moment due to the patriot act, it's a fucking sham of a democracy. Anyone who thinks it isnt is living in a different universe.

 

[Moo]

you can be damn sure that there will prolly be a backbench rebellion within the labour party too, at least i would have thought so. It would mean anyone who wasn't a minister basicly doesnt have a say in anything...

 

[Tilda]

The lords don't have to pass it, government can use the parliament bill (think thats the name) to push it through after a year.

I'm sure you read my post in detail.

 

[Earl]

I got told it was after a year not two fails so thought you were making a different point

 

[Tilda]

Kenneth Clark has said some interesting stuff in an interview you can listen to here:

Meh well I cant link to it,

Go here:
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/default.stm
Its about half way down the right hand side, think link takes you to the BBC news/video/radio player.