The Smoking Ban was a free vote...
Was I the only one who found the endless statements like this all week very odd indeed?
How can we have a representative democracy unless MPs are free to best represent their constituents?
Having found our that Bob Marshall-Andrews was being threatened with deselection for encouraging MPs to represent their constituents I sent him a supportive email:
Thank you for standing up to the increasingly authoritarian executive. If they try to deselect you, it will bring them down even faster. Keep asking the awkward questions. ;)
He actually replied to me personally:
Thank you very much for your kind email. Your support is greatly appreciated. Regards, Bob
I found this quite touching and perhaps an indication that those who do stand up for democracy are having a tough time.
It has also come to my attention that our legislative process (which failed to recognise that the Civil Contingencies Bill is in fact a Hitlerian unlimited legal power Bill) is having scrutiny removed completely thanks to the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill.
This is nothing less than a another major step towards dictatorship.
I wrote to my MP. It will take you 5 mins.