Regulating Parliament is a direct assault on its ability to function

[feyeleanor]

This government has a track record of trying to gag Parliament in one way or another, the most infamous example being their attempt to force the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill through a few years back. This week's Parliamentary Standards Bill is a similarly undesirable piece of legislation, even in the largely emasculated form in which it's

Comments

[friend_of_tofu]

The PSB is a mess. No good comes of knee-jerk legislation.

[feyeleanor]

Alas knee-jerk is all that New Labour has ever seemed to understand.

[friend_of_tofu]

They're hardly alone in that, not that that's a justification. Lack of core principles, I call it.

[feyeleanor]

Very true and I was equally appalled by a number of knee-jerk laws passed by John Major's government and expect the trend to continue if/when David Cameron is elected. I guess the downside of Democracy is the need of those who wish to remain in power to be seen to be doing something.

Call me a cynic, but I believe that nine times in ten government doing something makes the situation worse than if they chose not to do anything at all.

[friend_of_tofu]

Yes. Doing less is often better, but it doesn't look as good! Very true.