Stefan Magdalinski wrote:
http://debillitated.heroku.com/
although totally depressed by what it says about our work over the last 12
years.
"No, to be fair, and I'm pretty sure you're a fair bloke, there's more
to it than meets the eye. There's only so much room for MPs to speak and
those with a particular interest come in on debates. There's lots of
others around, many watching on monitors. True, a lot aren’t engaged,
especially with this bill obv I think too many, [...]" - Eric Joyce MP
I thought "our work" was to be able to provide information on what MPs
etc. are doing in their role in the Houses of Parliament, and that it
was precisely that it *wasn't* just number of debates spoken in, or
whether someone happened to be in the chamber or not. [1] Help people
make decisions, find things out, contact their representatives, etc. I
mean, I'm genuinely curious as to how http://www.didmympshowupornot.com/
is actually useful to its cause/ debate/ issue (which to be clear I
don't actually have an opinion on, but I realise lots of people do)?
What do people want? 643 MPs sat there, the same ones who speak speak
(given they used all the time available), occasional hear hears and boos
presumably, but not doing anything productive? Obviously I don't know
what the ones who weren't there were doing, there's a whole range from
saying they're all electioneering through to doing constituency casework
to watching the debate to anything inbetween. But for a general second
reading debate on a bill, I think I want the MPs who are knowledgeable/
have interest in the topic to debate it and its merits, feeding in their
constituents' and their own views, with other MPs talking to them about
it and learning more and letting it influence their vote, presumably
taking into account party more than I would perhaps like, but that's not
really the issue.
If you want to be upset at anything (other than content), be upset that
the Bill is going to have c. one hour of committee debate today rather
than say the 40 or so it would get in a normal committee stage, the way
it's been rushed through, and things like that.
ATB,
Matthew
[1] It is quite annoying that TheyWorkForYou Public Bill Committees have
been broken since January, something I hope to have time to try and do
something about before the election.
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