Douglas Carswell's review of the week

Douglas Carswell, MP for Harwich & Clacton, reviews the week that was in the House of Commons chamber.

And so it goes on.  Another week of Parliamentary pretence; Ministers pretend to be making the big decisions and we MPs pretend to hold them to account.

Tuesday’s performance of the European Scrutiny Committee demonstrated this rather well.  Foreign Secretary David Miliband was grilled by MPs wanting to know why people will not get a say on the EU Constitutional Treaty through a referendum.  Mr Miliband is no more able to justify this grotesque fact than you or me because it is no more his decision than it is ours.  Miliband’s biggest decisions at the Foreign Office are on the wine list.

Like a long line of MPs in the role of Foreign Secretary, he is little other than the department’s mouthpiece, expected to justify Sir Humphry’s actions in Parliament and on the Today programme.  Indeed several times during the committee session, Miliband had to turn to the Sir Humphry-types sitting beside him to clarify his lines.  Normally departmental mouthpieces (sorry, Ministers) have learnt what to say about "red lines" et al fully before going through the charade of appearing before MPs.

The phoneyness of the government position prompted the irrepressible Bill Cash to table an Early Day Motion demanding a referendum "before or after ratification".  Three cheers, Bill!

Even if this fag-end of a government signs us up to this technocratic treaty, the Conservatives must insist on a referendum. That is called consistency, and like its close relation authenticity, it is a rare and precious commodity in politics today.

Indeed, we must go further and recognise we will never get the enlightened foreign policy Britain so desperately needs as long as vile Sir Humphry at the Foreign Office remains beyond meaningful democratic accountability.  Parliament alone no longer provides that - as this week has again shown.

Peter Bone (Wellingborough) introduced a Ten Minute Rule Bill to make it compulsory for under 14 year olds to wear cycle helmets.  I am assuming this is only when they are on a bike?

While not a classic liberal position, Peter argued his points well.  Of course, this Bill stands little chance of becoming law.  It is not those we elect to Parliament who make our laws and more, but a myriad of quangos and officials.  If Sir Humphrey wanted this measure introduced, it would be done in ten minutes, not a Ten Minute Rule Bill.

Bernard Jenkin (North Essex) cut to the chase with excellent questions during the defence debate.  Are we spending enough on defence (and spending it the right way), given the massive tasks we have set for our armed forces?  As the debate showed, it will take more than wee Des Browne, Defence Ministry mouthpiece, to answer.

Also on the ball was Philip Davies (Shipley). He asked Parmjit Dhanda, during Local Government questions, about the impact of immigration on housing.  Mr Dhanda, despite being one of the more able Labour frontbenchers tried to brush Davies aside, as if he had been impertinent.  Always a mistake with Davies, one of the most cheerful and determined MPs in Westminster.

As MPs headed off to their constituencies on Friday, news emerges that next year MPs will sit for even fewer days.  Perhaps some might be forgiven for asking what Parliament is for. I instinctively dislike the idea of politicians sitting in Westminster looking for new ways to tax and regulate us.  Yet, so much is rotten with the way our country is run.  So much is wrong with the direction we are moving in.  But Parliament seems incapable of holding those with executive power to account for any of it.

We don't just need a change of government; we need to change how we are governed as well.

Comments

[sjm]

"Milliband's biggest decisions at the Foreign Office are on the wine list" - lovely line!

[John Strafford]

If only we had more MPs like Douglas Carswell the Conservative Party and the country would be better off. We would be more democratic also.

[Henry Mayhew - Ukipper]

You're not wrong Mr Carswell. But do we need to innovate a new system or go back to previous arrangements? We all know we are poorly governed.

[John F]

A very honest assessment from a frustrated MP. I agree that since we joined the EU, after most of us were conned into voting yes in 75 in the belief that it was just a common market, that westminster is little more than a clearing house for Euro legislation.
Interestingly he sites the mandarins at the FO as the main instigators in the Euro charade, the self same FO that tacitly supported no confrontation with Hitler before hostilities broke out in 1939.
I find the parallels between Hitlers Germany and the EU to be quite similar however not even the Nazis could have dreamed up some of the millions of regulations that emminate from Brussels.
The only reason this state of affairs exists today and why we allow ourselves to be governed in this manner is because most of the British people are relatively well off, not starving or living in squalor and destitution. If this was not the case then our lords and masters in Westminster might find themselves dangling from the lamposts.
It would be great to think that one day the British people, and the Germans, French etc will take to the streets of their capital cities in their millions, like the East Germans, Romanians and the other East Bloc countries did before the Berlin Wall came down.
As I understand it the debate in parliament on the Euro constitution that Brown signed up to ( not in my name ever) will take place soon and over the next few weeks, therefore MPs on all sides of the house have a big opportunity to take back their,s and British sovreignty, to make a difference, to hold the executive truly to account and yes to vote for both a referendum and to block the bill ratifying Browns treachery.
This will be a time when MPs have to put their beliefs and principles before party allegience, to speak in the debates (yes to attend in large numbers)and to ignore the bullying whips and thugs who surround Brown.
The Conservatives, whilst seeking to stop this Bill and to supporting a referendum, must be careful to nurture MPs from other parties who support their stance and be truly partisan.
The debate in parliament is a final chance for MP.s to show they are more than just empty mouthpieces with their greedy snouts in the trough, but people of principle who deserve the title of "Honourable Member".

[Lucy]

Ace. My favourite DC. New intake like Carswell and Davies are brilliant. Boo to smoke-blowing careerists.

[Joy Broderick]

Milliband's biggest decisions at the Foreign Office are on the wine list" - Does he choose the House of Commons souvenir wine as well which states Product of France House Pinot Noir. Should we let him know about the many British vineyards for example Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking,Surrey.