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Archive for the ‘Law’ Category

I’m not quite sure what point Matthew Norman was trying to make in today’s Independent because he did seem to wander all over the place, you can judge for yourself: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/matthew-norman/matthew-norman-a-prince-and-his-indulgent-public-1717971.html

I think the starting point was the “extra £3 million that the Prince of Wales cost the taxpayer last year simply because the Government wanted him to carry out a number of overseas visits on their behalf, which therefore seems reasonable that they should cough up for the expenses incurred.

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Following the election of Bercow as Speaker, Steve Richards writing in the Independent today was speculating about “real reform” and the Separation of Powers.

“A few years ago the Labour MP and ardent constitutional reformer, Graham Allen, put forward a proposal for a presidential system in Britain. I thought at the time he was living in a fantasy world, but we are almost there in terms of our preoccupation with leaders, the decline of parties and the growing demand for Prime Ministers to be held to account.”

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Let me start by saying that I have every sympathy for any journalist trying to write something interesting about British politics this day, what can one say ? The Independent Leader showed how not to do it as the excerpt below shows:

“Even the UK Independence Party, seen as a great victor on Sunday night, actually saw its share of the vote rise by only 0.3 percentage points. In terms of share of the vote, the Conservatives gained only 1 percentage point, while the Liberal Democrats lost 1.2. The Greens did best, gaining 2.4 percentage points, but that did not translate into more seats in the European Parliament, whereas Ukip’s higher vote did.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-an-electoral-debacle-that-might-save-gordon-brown-1700200.html

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So today is the Local Elections in some areas and certainly where I live plus the European Elections for MEPs, of these two elections, the least significant is the latter and it will be interesting to see whether there is a difference in turnout between those areas with both elections and those with just the European one.

In theory the European elections should be the most important but in the UK as in many other countries they are not and most likely because the European Parliament is totally the wrong format for elected representatives of EU citizens to control the EU Executive.

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As this boring “MPs Expenses” saga goes through its death rattle, every idiot and their Mother is trotting out their pet ideas which are motivated by either personal interest or just plain ignorance, in the latter case the National Tooth Fairy would do them just as well, Boogie Woogie have a sixpence Click Clack !

If you are Nick Clegg and a Libdem, the fact that the Liberals lost their “Radical Party Crown” to the Labour Party a hundred years ago and haven’t managed to reclaim it back from them because of the Liberals own lack of imagination and drive, clearly needs Proportional Representation to make up for their past failures under our “first past the post system” – “Change the system to suit us and our total lack of competence is their cry…” Enchanting and I think not !

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Today’s best newspaper article was undoubtedly in the Times and written by Daniel Finkelstein with the headline: “MPs? Well, I can’t trust anyone. Not even you”. For a touch of sanity and common sense in these benighted days, I highly recommend it:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/daniel_finkelstein/article6367828.ece

In practical terms all the substance of the expenses row is now behind us, certainly some more MPs will step down at the next election, some will be deselected and perhaps a handful might face a criminal prosecution but in all honesty there is the growing feeling that the Circus has left town and moved on to the topic of “Constitutional changes to produce better government”.

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The Telegraph Witch Hunt continues into its third week and gradually as is inevitable, the start of a backlash and quite right too, the DT has over-egged this pudding and is in danger of undoing any good it contributed to.

Arch Bishop Rowan Williams has come out and said enough is surely enough and naturally his words and meanings are being misrepresented, the Independent has joined in and today the Telegraph is writing self justifying and rather pompous editorials.

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Whilst we can all be grateful for the fallout from the Telegraph’s expose on MPs expenses which has shaken the general public out of their normal torpor, it is not yet clear where this may end or where it will take us to in terms of meaningful Constitutional Reforms but something else is certain…

I keep banging on about the economy and the need for there to be a General Election sooner rather than later and my views seem to have been backed up today by Edmund Conway writing in the Telegraph, this is where it is really at…

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Parliament will have to elect a new Speaker in late June and given the mood of the moment with all the “Expenses Allegations” – a trial by media if ever there was, MPs are very reluctant, even Ladbrokes don’t have a clue, their odds are on a par with a Grand National, no come to think of, not even as clear as that.

I would nominate Ann Widedecombe as the new Speaker but only on an interim basis. The ‘interim’ has nothing to do with her qualities, I suspect that in the event she may well give the “Blessed Boothroyd” a run for her money !

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In today’s Independent, Matthew Norman wrote an article calling for us to seize the moment to demand a written constitution, I sometimes wonder where the Sam Hill we get these people from:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/matthew-norman/matthew-norman-we-must-seize-the-moment-to-demand-a-written-constitution-1684493.html

No, this is not a golden moment to have a written constitution and neither is any other moment in time going forward, the very last thing this country needs is yet another device to impede change as it is required and on a consensual basis.

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