Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

Rambler

Awanturnik
Heads up for all UK Dissentians

I learnt about this over the weekend; a Bill currently going through Parliament that would dramatically reduce parliamentary discussion over future laws, and give individual ministers the power to alter any law passed by Parliament. Taxation and crimes with a penalty greater than two years imprisonment are exempt, but everything else - from the recent smoking ban to the Acts of Parliament that define the House of Lords - could theoretically be altered, introduced, or abolished simply on the proposal of single ministers. With the regulatory burden of Parliamentary debate gone major changes to the law can be made without giving Parliament the opportunity to fully examine and debate them. To name some current examples, I know where we'd be on ID cards by now if this new Bill was in place, and house arrest, and trial by jury.

Please read some of the pieces linked below, and consider writing to your MP. This is too important to be ignored.

Newpaper comment pieces:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6-2040625,00.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-2049791,00.html

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/constitution/story/0,,1715467,00.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28010-2057835,00.html

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/constitution/comment/0,,1724047,00.html

http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/...xml&sSheet=/opinion/2006/03/13/ixopinion.html

Campaign sites:

http://bill111.wordpress.com/

http://www.saveparliament.org.uk/
 

corneilius

Well-known member
replies from mps etc.,

I suggest giving them a week to reply, then email them again, stating that this is the second time you have done so, and given the nature of this bill, you are now even more concerned than ever and that if there is no sensible follow-up you will write to all your local papers saying that you have not had a reply - the local elections are coming up and this ought to be an issue!
 

corneilius

Well-known member
How to respond

Once you get a reply form your first contact, then contact all other representatives, and include that comment, and your comments to that comment in your letter. We can easily snowball these people, bit by bit, day by day.

Lets put them all on notice that we know whats going down and that we are not pleased and that we definitely expect action from them on our behalf, irrespective of any party line - we pay their wages, remember, they are legally working for us! ;)
 

gek-opel

entered apprentice
I dunno what happens tho if you complain, they say "yeah, fair enough-however...." and end up towing the party line. Whilst they work for us (technically) we can't stop them no matter how much we harrange them from doing this.

Christ- that's quite depressing, however, upside is at least they will be aware of the mood in the country, and that matters. I made sure to refer in my letter to the way this bill doesn't look too hot coming on the heels of vast voter apathy at the last election, and the inability of parties to raise sufficient funds to operate from their memberships--- as in the democratic process is at a low ebb as it is, this legislation is emblematic of the total contempt the labour paternalist "faith-based" dictators have for democracy and the public. As long as this alone is communicated, then I think its worthwhile. I suspect that interest in this issue will grow- its been covered in a lot of the Broadsheets in pretty apocalyptic terms... its just the Tabloids and TV media who don't seem to have got on the ball with this story yet.
 

corneilius

Well-known member
Am I paranoid?

It is depressing, and yet we do know that people pressure can be effective.

I see your point about the faxes, but I for one have no cash to send faxes, so will have to do emails and letters ........ some things worry me though ...

What we don't know is how deep they are committed, or how far they will go in supressing dissent - I suspect the LARF bill was to prepare for hitting dissent pretty hard - the government would not survive a French style series of marchs and demos here in the UK, there'd be uproar! - so they might be planning to pre-empt that possibilty by this Bill, it would take them say half a day, maybe a whole day to make or amend current laws of assembly, free speech etc., assuming they have various parts already in place, ready to roll and to then pass it down the line so that the police, etc are instructed to enforce it, thus keeping us geussing untill the last moment - they are certainly keeping an eye out for where these discussions and others like them are leading ...... silly buggers, why don't they realise that we, none of us want these wars, we don't want to see people bombed and shot, not for any reason. That there are ways to resolve all issues, and that we would sing their praises for ever if they chose to use those ways, instead of this war.

Shit, I am behaving/sounding like a mewling paranoid! I don't feel paranoid, though, just deeply concerned and mostly for those poor souls in Iraq and Iran for what has happened, is happening and is possibly to come.
 

Wrong

Well-known member
corneilius said:
I see your point about the faxes, but I for one have no cash to send faxes, so will have to do emails and letters ........ some things worry me though ...

You could try Write To Them which lets you fax your MP, councillors, etc, for free.
 

Rambler

Awanturnik
Before you write to your MP, you might want to read this, published on Thursday - there are going to be some major amendments to the Bill before it comes before the House again. We're not out of the woods yet, but this is a big step in the right direction.
 

gek-opel

entered apprentice
At the very least in this country the model of bipolar sovereignty (ie- a struggle between the executive and the judiciary) means that there are some moderating forces on the atempts at autocratic dictatorship... if even Cambridge Law professors are up in arms, (as detailed in the Times article linked to above) then the Govt ought to listen, ought to ammend, surely?
 

matt b

Indexing all opinion
gek-opel said:
Do you mind me asking what kind of response you got?

Dear Mr *******

Thank you for your email. I am sorry for the delay in replying to you.

I am very well aware of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, and
it is due to have its report stage and third reading soon.

I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of the Bill and I can assure
you that the Conservative Party will be opposing this Bill vigorously
unless some significant changes are introduced. I will certainly be
opposing the Bill which I hope reassures you. However given Labour's
majority in the House of Commons we may have to rely again on the House
of Lords to help us with this.

If you ever wish to share your views with me on any issue I would be
delighted to hear from you.

Yours sincerely

***** ****** MP
 

corneilius

Well-known member
resource for news on LARF

here's a fine resource for info in the Media from my friends at newsnow :

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Abolition+of+Parliament+Bill

read all about it!

Latest articles from around the world. The campaign is beginning to gather pace. We have a month to stop these madmen, before they take it to the third reading, after 'rephrasing' the bill.

The day of the reading might be a good day to go for an extended walk, if you know what I mean!?

More details soon.

And spread the word, folks!
 

gek-opel

entered apprentice
Matt B- thanks for the info.

If the Tories really are against the bill (I presume the Lib Dems are too?) then so long as enough of a stink is kicked up in the press and Labour backbenchers rebel a bit, then it ought to be stopped. The danger comes when the ammendments are made and its watered down just enough to appease a majority in Parliament without actually changing the very dodgy underpinnings of the law. Any new info on how the ammendments have turned out yet, anybody?
 

corneilius

Well-known member
Rambler said:
Before you write to your MP, you might want to read this, published on Thursday - there are going to be some major amendments to the Bill before it comes before the House again. We're not out of the woods yet, but this is a big step in the right direction.
Tony Blairs response to criticsm and analysis of the Legislative and Reform Bill (LARF) in the recent Observer piece shows that whatever amendments are made, that the ability of a government minister to repeal, refom or amend a law with out paraliamentary scrutiny and debate remains central to Mr. Blairs intention.

An article this sunday in the Telegraph, by their defence correspondent, Sean Rayment, had the following headline : Ex-prisoners 'make better Army recruits than today's teenagers'.

The article does not suggest recruiting ex-prisoners is the way forward, yet the Armys intention is to mould recruits into instituionalised, conditioned soldiers. They are even suggesting using psychotherapists to ease the pangs of unruly teenagers, as they assume 'manhood', enabling them to safely become trained killers? A worse use for psychological technonolgy I could not think of. Gobsmacked!

What are these people really thinking of, or capable of?

Surely not possible that by crimialising young people, protesters, dissenters - vast swathes of people, knowing that the prisons will be full this summer, there will be a suddden public 'need' to tag those people, and perhaps followed up by what Charles Clarke was suggesting earlier this year, that he would allow those 'criminals' to work off their sentences, or further reduce the restrictions, by 'enlisting' them in various 'government schemes', at home or in Iraq or Afghanistan or wherever one is sent, at the whim of a government minister - groundwork (as in digging ditches!) for the 2012 Olympics or Groundwork(as in army patrols) for Democracy in Iraq? Surely not!?

Nonetheless, humour aside, Blairs rejection of criticism is blatant, and this grasp for power over Parliament must surely be where the illusion, the spell be broken. Denial is a severe warning, to anyone who understands psychology from a common-sense point of view. It shows the subject is either unaware of, or hiding the truth. Both are toxic to a good relationship. And when that denial is prevasive throughout government, WE know that change must happen. We must stop playing the game. And compassionatley naming the game, speak truth to power.. unrelentingly.
 

Rambler

Awanturnik
gek-opel said:
(I presume the Lib Dems are too?)

Yeah, it was the LibDem MPs who were among the first to voice criticism of the Bill and bring it to national media attention. As a party they were against it pretty much from the off.

Any new info on how the ammendments have turned out yet, anybody?

Not yet - we're awaiting details (and I can't find anyone who can say when we should expect them).
 

corneilius

Well-known member
He won't back down, ..... yet!

Tony Blair, in an exchange of emails between himself and writer Henry Porter, refutes all criticism of the bill, "Frankly it’s difficult to know where to start, given the mishmash of misunderstanding, gross exaggeration and things that are just plain wrong. A few explanatory facts might help." said Mr. Blair

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1759344,00.html

And so he goes on to help. As the exchange developes, Porter raises points with Blair, expressing a deep concern about the undemocratic powers to be handed over to Ministers, which Blair sidesteps, (he's very good at this!). Porter responds by pointing this out and by saying he feels even more concern, and a little fear.

It's a riveting read, and it shows that Blair is still trying to get the bill through, that he wants those powers and he sees further state control as the answer to the 'war on terror' and the war against 'criminals'.

There is much to do, the game is on, a power grab is being attempted.

Or maybe not! I hope I am wrong, and if being so leads to others ridiculing me or berating me, then I'll happiyl swap that feeling of discomfort over one of '"OH Shit. They've taken over.....

here's a good blog on the subject :

http://www.perfect.co.uk/2006/04/things-that-are-just-plain-wrong

So tell everyone. I buy stuff in a shop, mention it to those present, and tell them to go to the website. Just make it part of my day, however it can work. It's about starting a conversation ..... and also reclaiming the conversation about how our society is run.

Must dash. Loadsa gigs. Big love to all who are willing to care and share.
 

gek-opel

entered apprentice
Cornelius: thanks for the info.
I love the part where Blair claims Lord Steyn is out of touch... I actually think that despite their overwhelming white-ness and middle-agedness the law lords are far more "in touch" (with the rule of law, with coherent social policy, with the actual coalface of the legal and criminal justic system) than any of Blair's bunch. Again I am glad that we still have a system whereby the judiciary can act as opposition to an overbearing dictatorial executive. I only wish they could go further...

Also, Re: ASBOs... Blair talks in that Observer exchange on Liberty about the roots of juveile Anti Social Behaviour being deep seated. However, these laws do NOTHING to address the causes of Anti Social problems, merely an earlier and more draconian system of punishing them.
 
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