tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31588679.post1206610431034840043..comments2023-10-21T16:25:58.899+01:00Comments on Three Score Years And Ten: Nothing To Report?Harry Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01600933854461096745noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31588679.post-74279545614313879062009-07-01T11:25:52.211+01:002009-07-01T11:25:52.211+01:00Blogger Brader/Martin : I agree. But there are pro...Blogger Brader/Martin : I agree. But there are problems with the ways (1) Parliament,(2) the Commission and (3) the Media are operating. <br />(1)Even the current inappropriate Bill with a restricting time-table offers some scope to raise issues, but the procedures are not being used on the Labour side for this purpose, apart from the four Labour back-benchers who made speeches on Monday. Jack Straw is virtually acting on his own and is there to push the Government's case only. I hope that things change today.<br />(2) I don't think that the Commission has the facilities and understanding to undertake the task we are looking for. All it does with the submissions that have been made to it is to stick them on an obscure web-site and interview a few of the great and the good. Even then it has only so far placed 102 public submissions on its site, over 500 are outstanding.<br />(3) The main media reports little of any of this and shows no interest in stimulating a debate.<br /><br />There are many alteratives to my services-led proposal. For example, MPs could be given a large salary increase and no expenses at all, whilst being given tax relief on money spent on second accomodation, staff and the like. Like my own proposal, this is outside of the scope of the current Bill. It would probably be cheaper for the public purse than the current position or under the new Bill. <br /><br />We have a crisis of Parliamentary Democracy, yet no serious public debate on how to resolve this. For such a debate needs to be stimulated via the above sources who are not doing it.<br /><br />I will follow today's debate and then see if I need to try to scream beyond this blog. I have not even come across any serious debate on other blogs. If you see any please send me the links.Harry Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01833380054575757928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31588679.post-59520509965986992092009-06-30T22:44:18.458+01:002009-06-30T22:44:18.458+01:00Harry, I think it is right that we ought to wait f...Harry, I think it is right that we ought to wait for the commission to report before legislating.<br />I also think that the commission ought to positively seek views from the public, because unless we engage the public in trying to solve the problem it won't go away.<br /> <br />I also think that the public need to be informed of possible solutions (like your services led idea) as part of the process of engaging with the public.Blogger Braderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12194042493169518680noreply@blogger.com