Category: The rule of law

Government push on with Rwanda Bill

Published on by jonesjb

We are debating today whether this authoritarian Government can declare that the objective truth of facts decided by the courts can be overruled. If we allow it, it is another big step towards a dictatorship—intentional or not. I know that the majority of people in the House of Lords know that the Government are wrong. I also know that many still cling to the belief that the House should not vote to stop the Government passing the most draconian of laws. We are paid more than £300 per day to come here and talk and vote, but what is the point of all our hard work if the Government ignore us? Continue reading “Government push on with Rwanda Bill” →

Rwanda Bill Committee Stage Day 1

Published on by jonesjb

The Green Party remains utterly opposed to the entire Bill. I greatly regret that we gave it a Second Reading, it is nasty and inhumane. Clause 1(2)(b) says that “this Act gives effect to the judgement of Parliament that the Republic of Rwanda is a safe country”. Acts of Parliament are not vehicles for Parliament to express its opinion about issues, so this clause ought to be removed on that basis alone, or else we will start legislating opinions instead of laws. We have not been presented with any evidence to prove that Rwanda is safe, and we have no process to make such determinations.

Continue reading “Rwanda Bill Committee Stage Day 1” →

Rwanda Bill – Second Reading in the Lords

Published on by jonesjb

The Government have created this problem by not putting in better, safe, legal routes.

They have thrown together something they call a solution that is not a solution at all.

They have dishonoured both Houses by tabling the Bill. It was wrong to bring this Bill to us; it was wrong to develop it at all. Continue reading “Rwanda Bill – Second Reading in the Lords” →

Government plan to brand anyone ‘undermining’ UK as extremist

Published on by greenlordsmedia

Baroness Jenny Jones was on the Met Police database for domestic extremists, while serving as an elected politician on the Metropolitan Police Authority, voting on their budget and holding them to account. The Observer story relates how “Government officials have drawn up deeply controversial proposals to broaden the definition of extremism to include anyone who “undermines” the country’s institutions and its values,”

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Illegal Immigration Bill Ping Pong

Published on by jonesjb
On Tuesday the Commons disagreed all the amendments from the Lords and returned the Illegal Immigration Bill in the first round of Ping Pong. There was poor attendance in the Commons, where the Government’s majority ensure their dominance, but then good attendance in the Lords for last night’s debate and votes. The debate didn’t start until 8pm when the list of Commons amendments had only just been printed and our Green Peer Natalie Bennett tried to stop this crucial debate starting so late in the day.

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Assault on democracy

Published on by jonesjb

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. Continue reading “Assault on democracy” →

An appeal to Labour’s frontbench: save parliamentary democracy

Published on by greenlordsmedia

This is an appeal to the Labour front bench: please talk to some constitutional lawyers urgently about my Fatal Motion, or even Gordon Brown, who produced such an expert report on reforming the second chamber. It appears that Emily Thornberry MP, Labour’s Shadow Attorney General hasn’t had the full picture explained to her. In a tweet the other day, she argued:

“Labour doesn’t vote in the House of Lords to kill a bill, that’s the Commons’ job. The constitutional position is the unelected Lords is a revising chamber only. If a precedent was set, the Tories could easily use their majority in the Lords to do the same to a Lab govt’s laws.”

Continue reading “An appeal to Labour’s frontbench: save parliamentary democracy” →