This cocky so and so Andrew McGuinness goes and
recommends himself for the Britblog Roundup on the strength of
this post. (Emphasis added.)
Therefore, the effect of this bill [the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act] is not absolutely to hand over legislative power to the executive; instead it is to give Parliament the same role as the European Parliament has in the EU - the role of an observer whose aquiescence, rather than approval, is needed for laws to be passed.
Indeed, the bill seems to model the government of Britain very closely on EU structures. The Law Commission takes on the law-drafting role of the European Commission, putting forward rules - through the Cabinet (like the European Council) - that automatically come into force unless prevented by Parliament. Anyone who thinks that Brussels is the ideal role model for structuring a democratic government should support this bill.
In the long run, the distinction between this bill and the Enabling Act is not likely to be very significant - a Parliament whose own law-making powers are stripped or made irrelevant is only likely to decline in authority, until occasional nuisance-value opposition to the government of the day is seen as a curious anachronism, and the last safeguards are removed.
See thou to it, Tim.
posted by Natalie at 11:17 AM
