Clive Sneddon's call to reject the 'abolition of Parliament' Bill

4.24.46pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 12th Mar 2006

Clive calls for rejection of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

Dundee East Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson Dr Clive Sneddon has today (Sunday 12th March) given his full support to the recent Liberal Democrat call for Parliamentarians of all parties and both Houses to reject the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill.

Clive said, "This Bill will give powers to ministers to alter any existing law passed provided they do not increase taxation or create crimes with a penalty greater than two years in prison. This means that Parliament is being bypassed by Tony Blair's government.

"If Tony Blair cannot justify a proposal, he will enact it by Order in Council and escape all Parliamentary scrutiny. The Bill would allow him to repeal the Act of Union, eliminate trial by jury, abolish habeas corpus and hold suspects without trial indefinitely.

Clive concluded, "Neither the war on terror nor administrative convenience can justify such proposals. This country is a democracy and must remain so for he sake of every individual in the country. Our strength as a society is based on freedom, democracy and human rights. These rights have enabled us to resist tyranny abroad and welcome new arrivals to our country, and should be further entrenched, not abolished by stealth. If you want to help prevent these illiberal and totalitarian proposals becoming law, you should join our campaign and write today to your MP asking for a public pledge to vote against them."

Related Link:

Emergency motion - Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill - LibDem Federal Spring Conference.