The Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill must die!

This entry was posted on
Wednesday, March 8th, 2006
at
9:26 am and is filed
under Tony ‘King Blair.

Pardon the ‘copy + paste’, but this is the best round-up of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill monster that I’ve seen to date. Highlights are mine, further reading is below, and if you have any doubts about how this act will be used abused, then click here.

Simon Carr – Now we can all make laws (if our faces fit)

We mustn’t overstate these things because they’re quite important enough as they are. Suffice it to say that the entire British constitutional settlement is being overturned in Standing Committee A by one of the most junior and inexperienced ministers, the stand-in for the Duchy of Lancaster.

Jim Murphy’s probably a nice young fellow but by no means, in the language of the day, fit for purpose.

The Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill going through its stages is a New Labour masterpiece. It was conceived to “remove burdens” from over-regulated citizens. Towards the end of the drafting process, some brilliant Whitehall Olly reasoned thus: “Why should ministers have fewer rights than ordinary citizens? Don’t ministers deserve to have their burdens relieved too?” No contrary argument could be found. As a result, ministers are now being given powers to amend any laws they like without the burden of parliamentary approval.

In the most perverse of consequences, the Bill to remove regulations has made it infinitely easier for ministers to pass them.

I’ve been along to three of these committee meetings over the past week and am more and more surprised at each outing. Jim Murphy offers long and detailed assurances about how the Act will and won’t be used. When asked to put these assurances into the Bill, he refuses. Ministerial assurances at the despatch box have the legal status of intestinal afflatus so you would be wrong to be reassured.

Jim Murphy buries himself ostentatiously in his brief, frequently refuses to take interventions (“I want to make progress”), and dismisses fundamental arguments against the Bill as “debating points”.

As a result of his approach, ministers will be empowered to amend any and every sort of law from habeas corpus to what they are going to put on your ID card.

“A person” is to get legislative powers. Anyone. If you are in the circle. The minister will be able to offer you the power to make laws. Maybe they’ll be outsourcing to Bangalore. Maybe they’ll let the TUC write employment regulations. Maybe the incoming government will let Rupert Murdoch write the takeover code.

There are safeguards. “Controversial” legislation won’t be eligible for the “abbreviated procedure”. But who decides if it’s controversial? The minister. But there will be public consultation? The minister will assess, interpret and present the responses and doesn’t have to abide by the result anyway. Certain select committees may (that’s not a will) have a power of veto – but select committees are appointed by the whips and they have government majorities.

And for any talk of safeguards, the Bill can be used to amend itself, abolishing anything in it the minister wishes.

Turn your face to the wall, oh you democrats, and say goodnight nicely.

Further reading:
Spy Blog – Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill – arbitrary powers for Ministers by Order, no exempt Acts, no full public consultation no detailed scrutiny by Parliament
Guardian – Reform bill could ‘sweep away parliamentary debate’
The Times – Who wants the Abolition of Parliament Bill?
Observer – How we move ever closer to becoming a totalitarian state
Tim Worstall – BCC and The Abolition of Parliament Bill

Now… find out more and find out what you can do about it.

UPDATE – I have decided to name this little monster LaRRaBee, after the Chief’s able assistant in Get Smart.

UPDATE – Save Parliament! Stop the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill!








About Tim Ireland

Tim is the sole author of Bloggerheads.
This entry was posted in Tony 'King Blair. Bookmark the permalink.

8 Responses to "The Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill must die!"