Talk

Flip

AIBU?

To wonder what is the point of government petitions...

9 replies

EasyToEatTiger · 20/12/2015 10:13

If they are blatantly ignored? petition.parliament.uk

OP posts:

Report

AuntieStella · 20/12/2015 10:29

It's not clear from your link.

How many, that reached the required numbers and should have received a response or a debate, did not do so?

Report

EasyToEatTiger · 20/12/2015 13:40

More information here... www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34476264

OP posts:

Report

knobblyknee · 20/12/2015 14:18

To vent, same as half the bloody internet.

Report

Ta1kinPeace · 20/12/2015 14:22

They are an excellent way to make people think they have done something and thus defuse frustration while having absolutely no impact at all.

Same with ALL online petitions.
Total waste of time and energy.
Have never achieved anything.

Report

knobblyknee · 20/12/2015 14:25

I just signed two of those. But at least two of the 'successful' ones in your link were snubbed.

[https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104796#debate-threshold]

[https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/107166?reveal_response=yes#response-threshold]

Report

Witchend · 20/12/2015 15:29

I have an issue with some online petitions. In that you see something along the lines of "starville school in random part of UK I've never heard of is going to be forced to change admissions to take an extra class. This is terrible for the school... Please sign my petition".
You get it on here, you get it fb, you get it on other internet places. And they will get people signing it who have no idea of the local conditions.
Dm's village is 20mph throughout. When it was bought to the council as a proposal, an online petition was shown, with nearly as many signatures as the village. 90% of whom lived not even in the same county, and it's small enough probably most of the people had heard of it.

Silly thing is there is an area of the village (schools shop playground library area) which would be sensible at that,speed. Most if the village, no. Since the bypass opened there isn't an issue with speeding. It opened 20years ago nearly.

Report

EasyToEatTiger · 20/12/2015 17:41

The govt says they will respond with over x amount of signatures. Apparently only if they want to.

OP posts:

Report

SilverOldie2 · 20/12/2015 18:05

They are pointless. We voted for MPs to represent us in Parliament so I'm happy for the petitions to be ignored.

Report

EasyToEatTiger · 20/12/2015 20:45

It's part of a broader picture of ignoring the electorate. If you read what the powers that be agreed on when they set it up.