Michael suggests that with just under 3 months to go until the centenary of 1 and 2 Geo. 5, c.13, HM Government should get on with the reform of the Upper House of Parliament as it really is about time we got round to it. Continue reading it really is about time we got round to it
There are many reasons being given in many places across the internet and print media why the British voter should not be voting Yes in the Referendum on the Voting System for the members of the House of Commons. However, one of them today caught my eye. On the Telegraph website, Daniel Hannan, has stated that AV IS EXPENSIVE Under AV we won’t be able to count ballot papers by hand on election night if we want a quick, decisive election result. Local councils will have to purchase electronic counting machines that are very expensive and prone to malfunction. However, … Continue reading Expensive counting machines necessary: bunkum!
The debate on this motion in the House of Commons yesterday:
That the draft Higher Education (Basic Amount) (England) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 29 November, be approved.
was inextricably linked to that on
That, for the purpose of section 24 of the Higher Education Act 2004, the higher amount should be increased to £9,000, and to £4,500 in the cases described in regulation 5 of the draft regulations in Command Paper Cm 7986, and that the increase should take effect from 1 September 2012.
However, whilst I do not agree with the trebling of fees for full-time undergraduates, as has been made clear in recent posts. As one who has been a part-time undergraduate the provisions on the inclusion of part-time students within the student loan system for the first time is one part of the Bill with which I can agree. Continue reading “Amongst the shouting – there were good things in that vote too”
Well done to Lib Dem MP Stephen Gilbert! He has tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons which calls on the Government to ‘introduce an evidence based approach to allow as many people as possible, regardless of their sexuality, to safely donate blood’. Openly gay himself, Stephen Gilbert has done something on World AIDS Day to call on Her Majesty’s Government to end the ban on gay and bisexual men, and their partners, being blood donors. Stephen said: As an openly gay Member of Parliament, I am a passionate believer that we must end this ridiculous and … Continue reading What have you done for World AIDS Day?
Well it’s taken a bit of time. But some of our proposals have finally come through… The Liberal Democrats, for their part, have even more radical proposals. They want to reduce the number of MPs by a third, getting rid of 200 constituencies and enlarging the remainder. Paddy Ashdown’s party also proposes tougher rules for MPs’ conduct, behaviour and outside sources of income, The Lib Dems also want to establish a fixed parliamentary term of four years, doing away with the government of the day’s ability to call an election at a time of its own choosing. from the BBC … Continue reading 4740 days or rather 12 years, 11 months, 23 days later
Gyronny Herald 