Silent Majority Speaks

Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship

Spin, not face-to-face confrontations with the voters, is the Government's chosen method of communication. Ordinary people are dangerous. Ordinary people might ask a question which throws a politician 'off message'; the Cabinet member might reveal himself or herself to be a human being like us, and not a programmed android. Worse still, he or she might tell the truth. Ann Leslie - Daily Mail, September 16, 2004 Blair wants to leave his mark on history - looks more like a stain to me. Peter Thorndyke, Diss, Norfolk - Daily Mail, May 23, 2005 I know I'm me - why do I need an ID card? "Sorry, officers, I don't have an ID card. I never applied for one. It seemed a bit steep at 300 quid. I do have my free passport, my driving licence and my London freedom travel pass, each with my photograph. I have my NHS medical card, with its lengthy number, given me at birth, my RAF service book with my Armed Forces number, and a chit authorising me to wear a few gongs -including a General Service Medal with Malaya bar, for fighting communist terrorists on behalf of my country, or so they told me. "I've also got various credit cards and store cards, all with my signature on the back, generally good for buying the everyday requrements for life as well as the odd luxury. If you decide to arrest me, I suppose I'll have to be photographed and given another number, besides my PINs. "I'm afraid I haven't got a pension book; it was taken away." "By thieves, sir?" "No ... well, not exactly. By the Government. By the way, may I see your warrant cards please, gentlemen?" Oh dear, they've disappeared. E. Harry Gumer, Romford, ESSEX - Daily Mail, June 1, 2005 NO means NO When does NO mean MAYBE? When it's not the answer the EU wants. With the courageous French NON resounding in their ears, shabby, undemocratic self-interested leaders of Europe propose ignoring the part of their precious constitution that requires ratification by all members and continuing without one of the biggest founder members to prevent derailing the gravy train. As in Ireland, they refuse to accept any NO votes, ignoring the will of the people, and re-stage votes until they can engineer the 'correct' answer. Sadly, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw dances to their tune like a puppet on a string. With tactics such as these, how can anyone really believe the EU has our interests at heart. Letter from Steve Penny, Kingsnorth, Kent - Daily Mail, June1, 2005 Surely the French result makes the £1million the EU recently spent on a treaty signing ceremony seem a trifle premature and extravagant. Letter from Keith Wiseman, Bury, Lancs. - Daily Mail, June1, 2005

WWW silentmajorityspeaks.com

Britain has traditionally been one of the biggest net contributors to the EU because we do not get as much money back from Brussels in farm and regional subsidies as our rivals. According to Treasury figures, between 1995-2002, Britain's average contribution taking the rebate into account, was £2.6billion, or £43.55 per head of population. The French - the biggest recipient of farm subsidies - contributed £1billion a year or £16.08 per head of their population.

December 28, 2005 (959 days since Iraq war ended)

Death Toll: 2,172 US - 98UK - >>30,000? Iraqi - 25 media

January 16, 2006 (978 days since Iraq war ended)

Death Toll: 2,219 US - 98UK - >>30,000? Iraqi - 25 media

February 16, 2006 (1011 days since war ended)

Death Toll: 2273 US - 101UK - >>6,164? Iraqi - >>17,300? civilians - 25 media

Tony Blair should know that respect comes by example - from the top. If a country's leader has no respect for the rule of international law and no respect for the truth, how can he expect anyone to have respect. Letter from P.J.Atkinson, Ashford, Kent - Daily Mail, January 12, 2006

STOP PRESS

Blair 'wants to make new laws without Parliament'

By James Chapman - Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mail, February 17, 2006

Tony Blair is trying to grab unprecedented powers to make sweeping changes to the law without the approval of MPs, experts are warning. An eminent groups of lawyers said the Government wants to be able to rewrite almost any piece of legislation without recourse to Parliament.

For instance, Ministers would be able to change divorce laws, introduce house arrest, curtail or abolish jury trial and give police powers to detain individuals, with no vote or discussion by the House of commons, the Cambridge academics said.

The change will infuriate MPs who believe Mr Blair has sought to sideline and marginalise Parliament. John Spencer, a professor of law at Cambridge University, said the Government is planning a 'major shift of power' which in any other country would require an amendment to the constitution.

Ministers insist the only aim of their little-noticed Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill is to cut red tape by amending legislation quickly. But Professor Spencer said it would hand ministers the right to amend any Act of Parliament and, in some cases, enact laws that, currently, only Parliament can make.

Professor Spencer was one of six Cambridge academics who voice concern in a letter to The Times. The others were Professor David Feldman, Professor Christopher Forsyth, Professor David Ibbetson and Professor David Williams, all members of the University's law faculty. They said: "We hope MPs on all sides of the House will recognise the dangers of what is being proposed before it is too late."

The Conservatives warned the power could also be used to introduce unpopular EU social and employment policies by the back door. Ministers will not be allowed to impose taxes and Labour insists that the new powers will not be used for 'highly controversial' matters . But ministers themselves would be the judge of what was controversial and there is nothing in the Bill that would prevent the powers being abused by a future government. Professor Spencer said: "There are very few safeguards."

The Bill will let ministers reform legislation or introduce recommendations of the Law Commission - a body which suggests updates to the law - 'by order'. The Commission's current proposals include giving those who have lived together the same rights as married couples when they separate.

A small number of MPs on a select committee would be allowed to scrutinise the orders and suggest changes, but the orders would not go to the floor of the Commons.

Conservative constitutional affairs spokesman, Oliver Heald, said: "This is a recipe for sloppy law-making, as well as a threat to liberty." Tory MP Grant Shapps, a member of the Commons Public Administration Committee, said: "It is a naked power grab by the executive, ultimately by Tony Blair."

Labour MP Alan Williams, Westminster's longest serving member, said cutting MPs out of law-making would 'result in injustice for people who are at the receiving end.'

B A C K

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