chairman bill wrote:The Tories have no fucking mandate for any of this shit. The LibDems, supposedly a modifying influence (ha ha fucking ha) are worse than useless, and now the Tories are set to ignore the Lords, a house of Lords, I might add, that has a clear ConDem majority, yet has still amended the legislation. There is a deeply arrogant government, already at a point where it is as arrogant as Thatcher had become at the point of introducing the Poll Tax. She took her time getting there, but Cameron's done it in double quick time.

chairman bill wrote:The Tories have no fucking mandate for any of this shit. The LibDems, supposedly a modifying influence (ha ha fucking ha) are worse than useless, and now the Tories are set to ignore the Lords, a house of Lords, I might add, that has a clear ConDem majority, yet has still amended the legislation. There is a deeply arrogant government, already at a point where it is as arrogant as Thatcher had become at the point of introducing the Poll Tax. She took her time getting there, but Cameron's done it in double quick time.

WARNING - TOXIC GOVERNMENT

What to say today? We knew that our government had reached levels of arrogant prickery previously unseen in the UK. Yes, even Blair backed down from sending cancer patients to the jobcentre and screwing over profoundly disabled children.

We knew the government had cheated at every stage of the welfare reform bill. First, they utterly whitewashed their own consultation on Disability Living Allowance and lied** about the results to parliament and to the public.

(Continued)

BBC News Website wrote:MPs have overturned a series of defeats inflicted on the government's welfare reform bill in the House of Lords. The coalition won seven key votes in the Commons, rejecting amendments made by peers and reinstating their original proposals into the legislation. These include plans for a £26,000 annual limit on total household benefits, including child benefit.

Ministers say they will use a rule known as "financial privilege" to ensure Parliament approves the cap. A special committee of MPs from all parties approved the move on Wednesday.

This will mean the Lords cannot send the same amendments back to the Commons when they re-consider the bill for a final time, preventing what is known as "ping pong" between the two chambers and effectively ending parliamentary opposition.

The measure, which the government says it will also apply to Lords amendments on employment and support allowance (ESA), relates to the principle that the Lords cannot oppose tax and spending decisions agreed by the Commons...

Full article » »

Wiðercora wrote:Relevant blog post by disablity campaigner Sue Marsh:

WARNING - TOXIC GOVERNMENT

What to say today? We knew that our government had reached levels of arrogant prickery previously unseen in the UK. Yes, even Blair backed down from sending cancer patients to the jobcentre and screwing over profoundly disabled children.

We knew the government had cheated at every stage of the welfare reform bill. First, they utterly whitewashed their own consultation on Disability Living Allowance and lied** about the results to parliament and to the public.

(Continued)

THWOTH wrote:...the second chamber could be rendered redundant in most law making. This seriously undermines the UK's democratic institutions and traditions.

Strontium Dog wrote:

THWOTH wrote:...the second chamber could be rendered redundant in most law making. This seriously undermines the UK's democratic institutions and traditions.

Are you seriously trying to argue that a democratically elected House of Commons overruling a wholly unelected House of Lords constitutes an undermining of democracy?

If you don't mind me saying, that's totally ass-backwards, and entirely typical of the hysterical commentary that every coalition action seems to attract, not least where welfare reform is concerned.

chairman bill wrote:

Strontium Dog wrote:

THWOTH wrote:...the second chamber could be rendered redundant in most law making. This seriously undermines the UK's democratic institutions and traditions.

Are you seriously trying to argue that a democratically elected House of Commons overruling a wholly unelected House of Lords constitutes an undermining of democracy?

If you don't mind me saying, that's totally ass-backwards, and entirely typical of the hysterical commentary that every coalition action seems to attract, not least where welfare reform is concerned.

The point is, the government bill was amended by the revising chamber, with a surprisingly large number of peers ahving a particular knowledge & interest in disability-related matters. This was no political axe to grind on behalf of Labour peers alone, but a coalition of Labour, cross-benchers, and even government peers. And the method that the ConDems are using to stop further revision, is to label the bill a finance bill, which it clearly isn't.

Strontium Dog wrote:

THWOTH wrote:...the second chamber could be rendered redundant in most law making. This seriously undermines the UK's democratic institutions and traditions.

Are you seriously trying to argue that a democratically elected House of Commons overruling a wholly unelected House of Lords constitutes an undermining of democracy?

Strontium Dog wrote:If you don't mind me saying, that's totally ass-backwards, and entirely typical of the hysterical commentary that every coalition action seems to attract, not least where welfare reform is concerned.

Strontium Dog wrote:an ever-shrinking pool of workers

Strontium Dog wrote:
I wonder why people are ignoring the fact that more people have jobs than ever before

Strontium Dog wrote:Okay then. If measures to address the problems caused by an ever-shrinking pool of workers having to support an ever-growing pool of welfare dependants cannot be said to have "legitimate spending and tax implications", then what the hell can?

Wiðercora wrote:There's now a petition to have the Queen refuse Royal Assent to the Welfare 'Reform' bill.

Let's see if the monarchy can do something useful.