"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an elected power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are ourselves and not a Prime Minister, MPs, Peers and government officials, but the voters of this country."
(Paraphrasing Franklin D. Roosevelt)
Yet more examples of our system of 'democratised dictatorship' under which we are presently forced to live.
From last Friday's Order of Business in the House of Commons
"5. COMMON FISHERIES POLICY (WITHDRAWAL) BILL: Second Reading.
Member in charge: Mr Peter Bone."
Member in charge: Mr Peter Bone."
Which says: "(1) The Secretary of State must establish a Commission to report to Parliament
within six months of this bill coming into force the steps necessary to effect the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy. (2) The Commission will also establish and report to Parliament the steps necessary to restore the United Kingdom’s territorial fishing waters."
within six months of this bill coming into force the steps necessary to effect the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy. (2) The Commission will also establish and report to Parliament the steps necessary to restore the United Kingdom’s territorial fishing waters."
"15. EUROPEAN UNION ACT 2011 (AMENDMENT) BILL: Second Reading.
Member in charge: Mr William Cash.
Member in charge: Mr William Cash.
Which says: "1) A treaty, European Council decision or other legal instrument of the European
Union which provides for the creation of a fiscal union or economic governance within the Eurozone shall require approval by Act of Parliament and fulfilment of the referendum condition as set out in section 2(2) or 3(2) or 6(4), as the case may be, of the European Union Act 2011.
Union which provides for the creation of a fiscal union or economic governance within the Eurozone shall require approval by Act of Parliament and fulfilment of the referendum condition as set out in section 2(2) or 3(2) or 6(4), as the case may be, of the European Union Act 2011.
(2) Sections 11 to 13 of the European Union Act 2011 shall apply to a referendum held in pursuance of subsection (1) above."
Meaning that any such "treaty, European Council decision or legal instrument of the European
Union" would have to be put to a referendum.
Union" would have to be put to a referendum.
Bearing in mind the order of those two Bills on the order paper, it is questionable whether there would ever be time for either of them to be debated before 2.30 pm, after which "only those Bills which are unopposed may make further progress".
Sure enough, we find that the first raises an objection and is now scheduled for debate on 25th November; the second doesn't even get mentioned as Hansard shows that a jump occured from item 13, Kinship Carers to item 16, House of Commons Disqualification.
Ain't democracy wonderful when it can be controlled by those practising it?
As I began with a paraphrase of a quote, so shall I end it:
"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people, by the political Executive, for the people."
(Paraphrasing Oscar Wilde)
1 comment:
Parliament is far less "democratic" than a 120 years ago because of the Coup when Lloyd George overthrew the House of Lords.
Once a Lower House can overthrow the Upper House and prohibit it from scrutinising Expenditure or Taxation it is a dictatorship, especially when that Lower House contains the Executive and has its Order of Business controlled by the Executive.
Victorian Gentlemen with Classical Education seeing themselves as wearing the mantle of Roman Senators had a better idea of Liberty than petty demagogues playing to the gallery and borrowing to fund panem et circenses
Classical Education did teach some humility, now all we get is Unbridled Arrogance coupled with Unlimited Ignorance
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