House Of Communions, Early Day Motion tabled - Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations

Surely it is just that, a gesture? Which will have no practical effect, but as you say, is susceptible to activist pressure.

Total 127 signed 16 today.

A surge. MPs are probably getting a lot of TA letters.

Also worth considering this as gesture politics for some of them. How many would openly advocate for the implications of what they are supporting if they have to justify it in debate.

It sure looks that way. I'm almost starting to think, God help me, would a Tory govt even be the least bad option? Not that that looks the slightest bit likely.

Labour really really doesn’t want to get re elected and LDs want to consign themselves to history. Paving the way for the likes of Reform to hide its anti-women policies on the back of appearing to support this one issue that’s no skin off their nose. All v messed up.

Great anaylsis

Lucy Hunter Blackburn
2h
The EDM against the EHRC's revised Code of Practice gives a useful window on where lobbying at Westminster against women being able to benefit from boundaries based on sex is now finding the most fertile ground. 🧵with some analysis of signatories as at last night. (1/12)
https://nitter.net/LucyHunterB/status/2064728482270101683

lowest level of student politics

It also shows what a dire state our education system is if this passes for student politics.

Oof it must be so frustrating dealing with these people. They are performing at the lowest level of student politics and, I know the word is bandied around too much, the very dictionary definition of bigoted.

It shows how futile having the session with Mary Ann Stephenson from the EHRC was today.The Women's and Equalities Select Committee is stuffed full of TRAs like Nadia Whittome, and it doesn't matter how patiently MAS explains to them what the law is and that rejecting the code won't change the law, they will still behave like this.

In fact I noticed there was a flurry of signatures from some of the MPs who were at the session yesterday, in what I assume is a petulant fuck you to Rosie Duffield, who mentioned the EDM and the legal illiteracy of the MPs who were signing it.

It’s a very bizarre woman that makes it her absolute mission to remove women’s rights.

I know that removing the guidance doesn’t change anything but she is so determined. The question is, will Nadia ever grow up and see what she’s doing?

Another 9 signed yesterday 7 Labour 2 Lib Dem.

Total 111 - 17.08% of Commons.

Whittome celebrating.

Nadia Whittome MP

More than 100 MPs have now signed the motion I tabled alongside colleagues to disapprove the Equality Act 2010: Draft Code of Practice for Services, public functions and associations.

This motion is currently the only available mechanism by which MPs can reject the EHRC’s Code of Practice; if debated and passed within the 40-day scrutiny window, it would prevent the EHRC from issuing the Code and bringing it into force. This is unfortunately unlikely, but it is important that as many MPs as possible sign the motion.

Please email your MP asking them to sign EDM 240 if they haven’t already.

Noticeable that there has not been a move against code in the Lords that I have heard of they don't do EDM but you can trigger debates to protest things more easily.

The 8 June signatures seem to be mixed in with the 5 June 🤷‍♀️

I see weird the list not in date order. Says he signed today.

He has now replied, saying his signature was added in error, and the Table Office have now removed it.

So maybe my suspicions had some basis.

Jeremy Corbyn has signed.

Another 7 signed today taking the total to 101, 2 more Lib Dems 5 Labour.

Still no Sir Ed or Corbyn.

Haven't had a response from my email to my LD MP yet. We were previously on nodding dog walking terms but he's getting a Paddington hard stare next time I see him.

Do we think that LibDem staffers have been adding MPs names without asking them?

It's one of those questions, like "When we write letters of complaint to our MP, does he/she even get to see the letters?", isn't it?

Perhaps he's a trans-signatory and therefore feels he doesn't belong on either side? Neither inny or outy.

Sorry, too much?

Well well. My MP no longer appears as a signatory, though he does not either appear in the list of withdrawn names. He hasn't replied to my email, so I have no more info on what might have happened. Do we think that LibDem staffers have been adding MPs names without asking them?

Agree with much of the analysis here. I've always said, where are the 'good' jobs going to come from, there will never be enough of them, and as noted, AI will/has accelerated this process massively. i think the number of Chinese students and the influence the Chinese already have via the universities is a matter of concern, which a sensible government should be monitoring closely. Even with trades, yes. will always need plumbers and chippies. But we don't need machinists, mill-workers, all those jobs in manufacturing industry that have largely been mechanised. I think wage labour is becoming a less and less satisfactory method of sharing wealth, and some sort of Universal Income in the future as almost inevitable.

I agree with the above, we need to invest in trade schools and apprenticeships now before it's too late.

There's going to be a massive issue universities on multiple fronts in coming years. Universities don't understand this. Parents and prospective students need to be on the ball with it. It's basically a bubble that's about to burst in my honest opinion.

Firstly you have AI. It's coming like a train and few people are really getting it. When the head of Black Rock says that the money will be in trades not lawyers pay attention. There will still be jobs in law but they will shrink and they will not require the level of study they currently do. Then there's all those middle management roles which again are going to be heavily reduced. And tech jobs which currently are well paid. DH works in the field and it's changed beyond his expectations just in a few months.

Then there's the cost. It's simply not worth it for huge numbers. I remember when they proposed 50% going to uni in the 90s when I was student, even I was going 'thats bloody ridiculous and serves no useful purpose'.

Then there is the political backlash which we will see more and more with this kind of shite being pushed by universities. They are being used as vehicle for dodgy political activism of all kinds. It will eventually implode and universities will face defunding, fines and all kinds of other penalties if they don't get a grip on it. They are massively out of step with the general population and this isn't going to change even with the numbers of graduates. There are a lot of disillusioned grads who put up with this shit who will be amongst those most determined to put an end to it because they felt unable to do anything whilst in education.

Then there's the issue with universities being funded by overseas students. Many of these are from conservative countries who will eventually either demand changes or vote with feet.

It is untenable as it is for universities to carry on down this path and for the money to keep coming in. There will be a bust in terms of the numbers of students which is why those who may have kids going need to be on the ball about quality of courses, course being axed and universities going bump.

Oxford of course is probably one of those least at risk and that's part of the problem as there's a degree of arrogance.

So much for "winning hearts and minds" as a TRA tactic.

"force her hand" is an admission of intent to coerce.

I find that reassuring. It means that, maybe, some of those that signed are just posturing and have absolutely no interest in taking any further action.

Sarah Olney is another LibDem MP who signed, then withdrew, and whose name no longer appears appear as withdrawn. In an idle moment I couldn't help wondering whether some over-eager junior aides had been busy signing up LibDem MPs, because of COURSE all LDs would sign, wouldn't they...?