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from the returning-sovereignty-to-parliament dept.
A controversial motion that will grant the government the power to force through Brexit legislation has been passed.
[...] It means the Conservatives, despite not winning a majority at the general election, will take control of a powerful Commons committee, and grant themselves the power to force through legislation without it being voted on or debated in parliament.
With parliament needing to change, amend or import wholesale thousands of laws and regulation to prepare the UK for its exit from the European Union, the EU Withdrawal Bill has been designed to allow for new laws and regulations to be passed via controversial legislative device called a statutory instrument, which are debated in tiny standing committees.
But the government has now voted to give itself a majority on the little known Committee of Selection, which decides the make up of those committees, and in so doing has seized control of the whole process.
[...] Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael commented: "This is a sinister power grab by an increasingly authoritarian Prime Minister.
"The Tories didn't win a majority at the election, but are now hijacking Parliament to try and impose their extreme Brexit on the country.
"It is a bitter irony that Brexiteers who spent their careers championing parliamentary sovereignty have now chosen to sell it down the river.
Source: The Independent
(Score: 4, Informative) by Thexalon on Wednesday September 13 2017, @02:21PM (3 children)
Even if it passes the Commons, there are two other parts of the British system that can stop it:
- The House of Lords, who usually lets the Commons get its way but not always.
- Queen Elizabeth II, who technically has the power to refuse Royal Assent to the new law. She hasn't exercised that power, ever, and the last time a monarch did was 1708, but she could theoretically do so.
There are other checks on P.M. May as well:
- The Democratic Unionist Party in coalition with her could leave the coalition, which would eliminate her governing majority.
- If 2 Conservative or DUP backbenchers vote against the government, she no longer has a majority. This has been used quite frequently in Parliament, most recently 2 days ago on an effort to try to protect soldiers who fought in Northern Ireland from retaliation for their actions decades ago.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by theluggage on Wednesday September 13 2017, @08:04PM
No, if the House of Lords blocks it then the Commons can still invoke the Parliament Act to force it though. The Lords can't actually stop the "elected" house from doing what they want - but they can draw a lot of attention to it.
Don't hold your breath. Brexit is gonna be traumatic and divisive enough without the country becoming a republic at the same time.
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Friday September 15 2017, @07:34AM (1 child)
Tory and DUP together (including the suspended Tory) is 327. Normally I'd lump the speaker in with backing the government too but in the case of parliamentary sovereignty I'm not sure.
The other parties including speaker are 316, so 6 would nsss to switch side, and no abstaining.
Several Labour MPs backed May in this vote too. NOt as many as backed her over the single market (something leave voters were quite keen on pre referendum), so at least Corbyn has been brought under control temporally
(Score: 1) by purple_cobra on Saturday September 16 2017, @03:00PM
It seems the two groups shouting loudest are advocating either a) death by incompetent hanging or b) death by decapitation, with both making a big deal about the execution whilst glossing over the result.