Here are some highlights from the latest batch of ‘Presentation Bills’, bills put by MPs before the House of Commons without any serious chance of their becoming law, to make a political point.
Additional research by KaihSu Tai
Here are some highlights from the latest batch of ‘Presentation Bills’, bills put by MPs before the House of Commons without any serious chance of their becoming law, to make a political point. And what point are the bills below making?
You can see below attacks on the BBC, the European Union, workers, the NHS, National Parks, civil liberties, public services, human rights… plus general ‘low-level’ xenophobia:
Peter Bone
• Bradcasting (Television Licence Fee Abolition) Bill: A Bill to make provision for the abolition of the television licence fee; and for connected purposes;
• European Union Membership (Referendum) Bill: A Bill to require the holding of a referendum on whether the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union; and for connected purposes;
• Medical Insurance (Tax Relief) Bill: A Bill to provide for tax relief on medical insurance premiums; and the
• Transparent Taxation (Receipts) Bill: A Bill to make provision for all receipts printed in the United Kingdom to contain a figure for the total amount of tax paid on the goods and services purchased.
Christopher Chope
• Broadcasting (Public Service Content) Bill: A Bill to define public service content for the purposes of public service broadcasting;
• National Park Authorities Bill: A Bill to empower the Secretary of State to abolish National Park Authorities; and for connected purposes;
• Referendums Bill. A Bill to provide for minimum turn-out thresholds for referendums; to impose restrictions on holding elections and referendums on the same day; to facilitate combined referendums on different issues; and for connected purposes;
• Tribunals (Maximum Compensation Awards) Bill: A Bill to enable maximum limits to be established for compensation in tribunal awards for cases involving unlawful discrimination; and for connected purposes; and the
• United Kingdom Parliamentary Sovereignty Bill: A Bill to reaffirm the sovereignty of the United Kingdom Parliament; and for connected purposes.
Philip Hollobone
• Apprehension of Burglars Bill: A Bill to provide immunity from prosecution or civil action for persons who apprehend or attempt to apprehend burglars; and for connected purposes;
• European Communities Act 1972 (Repeal) Bill: A Bill to repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and related legislation; and for connected purposes;
• European Union (Audit of Benefits and Costs of UK Membership) Bill: A Bill to require the Secretary of State to commission an independent audit of the economic costs and benefits of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union; and for connected purposes;
• Face Coverings (Regulation) Bill: A Bill to regulate the wearing of certain face coverings; and for connected purposes;
• Return of Asylum Seekers (Applications from Certain Countries) Bill: A Bill to provide for the immediate return of asylum seekers to countries designated as safe; and for connected purposes;
• Rights Bill: A Bill to set out certain principles in a United Kingdom Bill of Rights; to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998; and for connected purposes;
• Sentencing (Reform) Bill: A Bill to reform sentencing provision to ensure that the length of a custodial sentence reflects the sentence of a court; and for connected purposes;
• Taxation Freedom Day Bill: A Bill to provide for an annual Taxation Freedom Day to reflect the proportion of tax paid by individuals from their income; and for connected purposes; and the
• Young Offenders (Parental Responsibility) Bill: A Bill to make provision for a mechanism to hold individuals to account for any criminal sanctions imposed upon young people for whom those individuals hold parental responsibility; and for connected purposes.
It will perhaps not surprise Left Foot Forward readers to learn, if they didn’t already know, that the three MPs putting forward these bills are all Conservatives. This is the nasty Party, very much still there, at play, off the leash…
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23 Responses to “‘Nasty’ party let off the leash with latest batch of presentation bills”
Stuart Harrison
RT @leftfootfwd: 'Nasty' party let off the leash with latest batch of presentation bills: http://bit.ly/bIplUD
Neil Hughes
@UNFortunatalie BONE IS TRYING TO ABOLISH THE BBC http://bit.ly/9KCema
Natalie G
RT @enhughesiasm: @UNFortunatalie BONE IS TRYING TO ABOLISH THE BBC http://bit.ly/9KCema
Colm Burns
RT @leftfootfwd: 'Nasty' party let off the leash with latest batch of presentation bills: http://bit.ly/bIplUD
Sue Baillie
Abolition of the New Forest National Park Authority has been something that many people in the New Forest have wanted since the authority was formed. The argument has often been that the Forest has been run by several tiers of local government for a considerable period of time and “if it ain’t broke – why mend it”.
This Bill is to empower the Secretary of State to abolish National Park Authorities; and for connected purposes. There are two ways of looking at this:
If the Bill runs its course, then the Secretary of State will have the option to abolish National Park Authorities when reviewing the Governance Arrangements for National Parks.
If it falls at the first hurdle, then it would still give a level of uncertainty within NPs and may show that a compromise of locally elected members would be a more palatable option for them.
Either option would address the democratic deficit within the authority, which can only be a good thing for the people of the New Forest.
Roads, Public rights of way, Public car parking, Tourism, business and economic development, Collecting litter, Disposing of/recycling waste, Managing the land, Commoning and common rights and Animal accidents are all responsibilities of existing authorities and local government. The NFNPA only appear to have sole responsibility for planning within its boundaries. It concerns me that 14 of the authority’s 22 unelected members are on the Planning & Development Control Committee. It also concerns me that the current authority members wear a combined total of 86 “other hats”.
Yes, we need conservation in the New Forest but we already have SSSI’s, AONB’s etc which already protect it. I believe the best outcome would be to have National Park status without an administrative authority. Transfer the National Park’s statutory Duties to the elected New Forest District Council. Hopefully the Private Members Bill will facilitate this.