Letter to the Walthamstow Guardian

A slightly edited version of this letter was published in the Walthamstow Guardian edition dated 9th March 2006 (the letters page is not online).

Dear Editor,

Kevin Lord's list (Letters 23/01/06) of New Labour's attacks on our civil liberties is sadly incomplete. Yes, we have bogus anti-terror laws (under which the rock star Morrissey has just been interviewed by Special Branch for calling President Bush `a terrorist'). Yes, we have the ludicrous ID card scheme which will cost billions of pounds and achieve nothing, except to criminalise us all by forcing us to submit to fingerprinting and DNA testing, or suffer a massive fine or imprisonment.

However, he didn't mention the little-known `Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill'. This bill virtually abolishes Parliament. Ministers will be granted wide-ranging powers which will not be subject to Parliamentary control. For example, Ministers will be allowed to summarily introduce any new laws they like apart from new criminal offences with a maximum of more than two years imprisonment, and new taxation measures. Apart from that they will have carte blanche and Parliament will have no right to vote to refuse them.

You don't believe me? The explanatory notes that accompany the Bill explain that Ministers `can amend, repeal or replace legislation in any way that an Act of Parliament may do' - all without any vote in Parliament. If this measure goes through we might as well be living in Mussolini's Italy. You can kiss goodbye to any freedoms that you hold dear. Bear this in mind when you vote in the local elections. Only a massive rejection of New Labour at every level can put a stop to these attacks on our liberties.

It is vital to vote in May, and it is vital to vote for freedom and democracy, which means it is essential to vote against New Labour.

Yours faithfully,

Grouchy.