Legislation
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Three Good Apples
The interview board spoke to four applicants for Ofcom chairman and recommended three of the candidates to the Government. Their response is to appoint a new interview board, rather than appoint one of the approved candidates. It had been expected that PM Boris Johnson’s preferred candidate, Paul Dacre, would be appointed in May. The interview…
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Our Door Stays Open
Reflections from the European Parliament by Terry Reintke, MEP It has been more than a year now since we had to say goodbye to our UK colleagues in the European Parliament. We sang “Auld Lang Syne” together and tried to look ahead as the damaging decision for the UK to leave the EU was finalised.…
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Priti Unfair
Alf Dubs, member of the House of Lords, writes: Where to start with Patel’s ‘overhaul’ of the rules regarding asylum, announced today? The Home Office claims it is ‘collapsing’ under the number of asylum claims. The Home Secretary herself described the asylum process as ‘broken’. But this government has been in charge for a decade,…
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Protecting the Judges
The Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland plans to protect judges from being drawn into politics, according to a press release issued yesterday. Those are the words used to introduce a new balance between government, the judiciary and citizens. Cabinet ministers have been seen acting unlawfully by the courts and the Government’s response is, according to shadow…
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Stifling Non-Violent Protest
The UK Government is rushing the so-called “Police Bill” through Parliament. The bill features several eye-catching items, such as power to ministers and police to curb “non-violent protest” and that assault on a “dead” statue gives a longer maximum sentence than assault on a living emergency worker. Yesterday MPs voted for the newer, stricter rules…
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Press under Pressure
Like Freedom of Speech, the Freedom of the Press is one of the building bricks in a healthy democracy. Citizens should have access to news and other information from different providers presenting a multitude of angles and opinions. Investigative reporters should be able to, in a professional way, hold people of power to account. But…
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Do You Hear The People Sing?
In a press release issued on 9 March 2021 the Government states that they want to – among other things – “Strengthen police powers to tackle non-violent protests…”. The “non” in that quote is really rather worrying. Many hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, have made their voice heard over the last few years, marching through…