This government has launched an assault on our democracy. It is trying to discourage opposition voters reaching the ballot box with Voter ID; it is giving the police the power to ban protests that create “more than minor” disruption; and it is trying to by-pass parliamentary democracy by handing more power to Ministers.

Today Jenny is challenging these issues in the Second Chamber.

Her Oral Question on the local elections and voter ID will follow up on Reece Moggs confession that Voter ID was conceived as a form of gerrymandering.

Her Fatal Motion aims to stop the government adding police powers that have already been rejected and thereby creating a precedent whereby a Ministerial decree can over turn a parliamentary vote.

These government proposed changes are backwards steps for democracy, but only the Green Party has been arguing for them to be seen as a linked up attempt by the government to take us in a more authoritarian direction. In the midst of an economic crisis, this government has spent a huge amount of parliamentary time on these measures to weaken our democracy.

If today the Labour Party fails to support her Fatal Motion and to pledge to reverse the draconian laws restricting protest, then we will have taken another huge step towards government by diktat.

You can sign my petition asking Labour to back the Fatal Motion here