The real interference in our democracy comes from the top. We all know that the problem is billionaire donors and lobbyists bankrolling the Tory party. That is where a failure of democracy is happening. We have to stop the Government’s interference with democracy. Continue reading “Elections Bill Report Stage”
Author: jonesjb
Police Bill Ping Pong
People do not approve of crackdowns on protest because there are times when they themselves want to protest. They want to protest about a crossing that is in the wrong place on their own road or to complain about cars idling outside their children’s school. People protest. It is all very well to call them “protesters” but actually they are just people.
Obstructing the highway should not land anyone in prison for a year. You can still be put into prison for a year even if the roads have already been closed by a traffic authority. When roads in Sheffield, sometimes quite minor ones, were closed for trees to be cut down, local people who were furious about that and were doing their best to stop it protested on those closed roads. Under the Bill, they could have faced up to 51 weeks in prison for protesting on their own road to try to protect their own trees. Peaceful protesters should never face jail. The original government amendment was bad and the compromise is also bad.
Elections Bill Committee Stage Day 2
I would like to know why the Government are denying democracy to a section of society. If blind and partially sighted people cannot see to vote properly, or cannot vote in privacy, that is denying them democracy. Continue reading “Elections Bill Committee Stage Day 2”
Elections Bill Committee Stage Day 1
At the moment political parties face higher fines for data protection breaches than they do for breaking election law. The risk is that fines for breaking election law just become part of the cost of doing business for political parties, especially those with the deepest pockets and richest donors. The Electoral Commission must be independent of both the Government and Parliament. Continue reading “Elections Bill Committee Stage Day 1”
Lords voted through 19 amendments to the Nationality and Borders Bill
These are the key amendments to the Bill that the Lords have passed but the Commons might reject: Continue reading “Lords voted through 19 amendments to the Nationality and Borders Bill”
Nationality & Borders Bill Report Stage Days 2&3
I do not understand why the Government are trying to move people to other countries. This makes no sense, and it is one of the many ways that the Government are trying to avoid their obligations. Instead of trying to deport people while the Government dither about processing their claims, we should provide them with decent accommodation and work so that they can start to retrieve some of their lives. If there was ever a moment when this Government should come out against the far-right ideology within their own ranks, this is it.
The Home Secretary said yesterday in the Commons that we have a “unique scheme” for accepting refugees. Yes, it is a unique scheme. It is uniquely complicated. It is mean spirited. It is slow compared with those of every other country in Europe. It is not something to brag about.
I had a dream last night that we had a snap general election which would have meant that this Bill, along with the police Bill and others, would have fallen and I woke up very happy. Continue reading “Nationality & Borders Bill Report Stage Days 2&3”
Nationality & Borders Bill Report Stage Day 1
If this Government were brave, they would go out and celebrate the asylum system and create one that was fit for purpose and champion the UK as a place of refuge. But this Government are not brave: they pander to the far right and use national rhetoric to divide and rule. At this point, the Government ought to reflect on the whole Bill and realise it is not appropriate for the circumstances we are in. It is cruel, it is inhumane, and quite honestly, the invasion of Ukraine should be a turning point for us. The Government should abandon the Bill and start thinking about a “refugees are welcome” Bill. Continue reading “Nationality & Borders Bill Report Stage Day 1”
Judicial Review and Courts Bill Second Reading
A couple of months back, I said that every single Bill the Government brought to this House was worse than the last, but this is an exception. It is not as bad as I expected, so well done to the Government for bringing such a puny Bill that we can probably throw most of it out. The Bill continues the Government’s piecemeal approach to constitutional change: a little bit is tweaked here and a little bit there, but no overview is taken and so nothing coherent comes out.
We need an opportunity to look at how government and power should operate in a modern democratic state. The proper way forward is obvious: we need a constitutional convention made up of experts and members of the public to determine how and why government should work. Instead of that, we have these scrappy little bits of legislative change.
The procedural stuff in the Bill is an attempt by the Government to save money in the justice system and to unclog the backlog in the courts, which have been atrociously underfunded. These measures might help but are no replacement for proper investment in the justice process. Continue reading “Judicial Review and Courts Bill Second Reading”
Knife Crime
My colleague at the London Assembly, Caroline Russell, has asked the Mayor of London whether he will encourage the Met to stop sharing images of knives that they have found, because it probably encourages knife crime rather than diminishes it Continue reading “Knife Crime”
Nationality and Borders Bill Committee Stage Day 5: Refugees
I return to this “shaming” part of the Bill. Every time I think we have got to the worst part, I turn a page and it is even worse. We are talking about the incredibly distressing circumstances of many of these people. They are victims of slavery. They have possibly been groomed, tricked or kidnapped and brought to the UK. Instead of helping them or demonstrating even an ounce of compassion, this Government are treating them all as if they have done something wrong. Continue reading “Nationality and Borders Bill Committee Stage Day 5: Refugees”
Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb 