By John Morgan-
After months of protests and opposition around the country by various protest groups, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill finally had its second hearing in the House of Commons on Monday. Not for a long time in British political history has a proposed law achieved such vitriol and anger. Brexit was a passionate debate and The Fox Hunting Bill caused a class division, climaxing in violent clashes with police outside Parliament on the night of the vote. The new legislation will greatly restrict and circumscribe any potential future protest, demonstration and march.
This 300 page Bill has been given a minuscule amount of time for debate, considering the size and controversy of the Bill. On 22nd June, the Human Rights Committee Report condemned the potential policing powers and consequences of this proposed Law. Citing this Bill “as oppressive and wrong” adding in the report “We are calling for the right to protest peacefully to be given explicit statutory protection.”
Time is limited in debating new Acts and Laws, your MP is only required to work at head office four days this week, as this Friday neither House will sit. Fridays are of course the traditional day for an MP to meet their constituents at their surgery, but of course, this has not happened since the first Lockdown began in March 2020. In fact, there is now a new protest campaign #StandatyourMP where protesters stand outside MPs office’s from 2pm on a Friday. Meeting constituents to discuss and debate the current political, economic and social issues. If lucky, your MP may honour you with a Zoom call.
At the beginning of the debate, Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, didn’t want to take up too much time as he noted to the Speaker there was only one day allowed on Report and not enough time to debate “literally hundreds of new clauses and amendments have been tabled to the Bill.” This has certainly been a common feature of the current government, especially during the pandemic, not allowing enough time for MPs to scrutinise legislation. Mr Davies made his feelings known to The Speaker ‘It is an absolute disgrace and it is important that that point is registered before we start the debate because it is an abuse of this House.”
The process of Parliament is now more like a rubber-stamping process akin to a mock democratic plastic Parliament in a banana republic. Rather than the Liberal democratic debating machine that the British establishment proudly claim is ‘The Mother of all Parliaments’. Indeed, is there much difference in the present day plandemic day Parliament process than an semi autocratic dictatorship from post war Eastern Europe? A communist leadership Politburo would present new directives and laws to be voted and approved by that particular nations annual Communist People’s assembly, All of which of course, were guaranteed formalities.
Since the Boris Johnson, Conservative government won the election in December 2019 with a majority of 80, on the election pledge of “getting Brexit done”. The Prime Minister can be as confident as Blair’s New Labour governments of the late 90s and 2000s in passing virtually any white paper presented to Parliament with little or minor opposition. The current Conservative majority is 82.
As Max Hastings commented in an interview with the BBC Radio 4, World at One programme a few weeks ago. “Boris Johnson should not just resign over ‘Wall paper gate’, but for the fact in how he has changed British Politics”. Hastings (the Editor of The Times when Boris Johnson was a reporter) highlighted how government ministers now rarely resign and are held accountable for their actions. The recent reluctance of the PM to sack Matt Hancock, is one such example. The ex Health Secretary duly fell on his sword the next day, after immense public and social media pressure to do the right and decent thing.
Yet another Bill has been steamrolled through Parliament and now passed onto the House of Lords. The nation, if they even know about the Policing Bill, will now wait for the House of Lords to debate and request any amendments. This is all in the name of our Liberal Democracy and the future of protest in this country. This Bill now may be a Parliamentary formality. Therefore, restricting one of our fundamental Human Rights even more and possibly raising the anger and vitriol of the modern-day British protestor.
Opinions from the Unity News Network (UNN) editorial team & various contributors. | UNN always clearly distinguishes between news and opinion pieces and as an open minded outlet we publish views from a variety of people and organisation that do not necessarily reflect the views of UNN or its writers. Articles published under UNN Opinions are always opinion pieces and if published on behalf of a contributor will contain that authors name at the start of the piece.
