The mother of democracy

This week the Government used its power to guillotine debate and exclude opposition topics. The occasion was the telescoping into a single (short) parliamentary day the report stage and 3rd reading of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill. This bill covered a number of areas where previous legislation was felt to be wanting. The Conservatives had wanted a second day, or a late night session, but these had not been allowed.

In the event there was time to consider only Government amendments, and even then a number of MPs could not record their views on what was proposed. Thus some speakers who wished to contribute to the debate on the blasphemy law changes proposed, or those on incitement to racial hatred. were prevented by the fall of the guillotine.

The opposition amendments, on prostitution, pornography and sex offences, personal data, orders on violent offenders, nuisance on NHS premises, and others, were excluded without debate because of the time limitation.

This curtailment, in a building called parliament (which has something to do with speaking?) will almost certainly mean the need for future change when the inadequacy of the discussion becomes apparent. The elective dictatorship of the sofa at number 10, once again saw Government MPs meekly filing into the division lobbies in obedience and opposition MPs filing in in frustration that their "case" had not even been heard.

All this happened in the mother of parliaments, where MPs are frequently as impotent as the members of the House of Lords. It is to be hoped that the latter will be reformed and given greater authority, perhaps by being entirely elected, to challenge and check the dictatorship.

Otherwise we seemed doomed to ill-considered legislation which needs frequent amendment when it becomes apparent that it was entirely partisan or ill thought-out and ill drafted.