To think millions of people are about to be disenfranchised and to feel so powerless

[theduchessstill]

Apologies if there is already a thread about this; I couldn't see one.

I am appalled by the move to end remote participation in parliament and online voting, which will have the impact of seriously limiting the amount of MPs who can participate at a time when scrutiny and debate are more crucial than they have ever been.

i can't believe there isn't more uproar about it tbh. There's no real government condemnation of Trump's reaction to events over there because we're about to crash out of the EU and want a deal with him, the Covid 'strategy', such as it was has completely fallen apart and now parliament is about to be stymied. What is happening to this country and aibu to feel pretty hopeless and terrified atm?

OP I completely agree with you and think it's shocking. It's irrelevant who has a majority. All MPs should be able to participate and vote. It's the number one requirement of the job. Millions of people are being disenfranchised. It's appalling.

If the HoC is a workplace then how can discriminating against workers in this way be legal?

What happened to proxy voting? Why can't they use that?

Whatever

Useful hint and tip. Never respond to any user434543454345 posts.

Just saw the pictures of them queuing to vote . What an absolute fucking farcical joke. Embarrassing,

What serenada said.

They voted on whether to only allow in person voting, with only the people who could do it able to vote!

I mean of course it fucking passed.

Remember BJ lying to the Queen? Proroguing parliament illegally to get what he wanted? The bus with the 350 million a week out whatever it was on it, a massive lie?

The opportunism in this move by JRM is disgusting. If the only people voting in parliament are the people who can get there in person, by definition a certain trance of person, they can pass any law they like pretty much.

It's outrageous. How can it be legal? Because this is unprecedented and no one thought of it. It's only recently that people on mat/ pat leave can proxy vote. Remember the MP who was in hosp and got wheeled in on a stretcher do she could vote?

This is so blatant. But seems they can do whatever they want.

This is a massive removal of the ability of those who represent constituents to have their vote. I'm outraged.

It's on the news a lot. Hopefully they will have to backtrack. We'll see...

Johnson announced at PMQs that there will be a proxy system of voting.

We’ll see.

Oh, but Grease-Smug ruled out proxy voting yesterday and it wasn’t included in the motion.

So ... is a u-turn or more Johnson bluffing?

@SabrinaThwaite

Johnson announced at PMQs that there will be a proxy system of voting.

We’ll see.

Yes, we'll see. He has a tendency to blurt things out when under pressure from Starmer!

@SabrinaThwaite

Johnson announced at PMQs that there will be a proxy system of voting.

We’ll see.

I wouldn't actually be that shocked if this were true, because it's a way to counter criticism that this is discriminatory and disenfranchises millions, whilst still preserving the actual purpose of ending the remote voting system. That is, adding braying to distract as far as possible from Keir Starmer owning him at PMQs.

Sounds like Johnson and co have u-turned to allow a vote on proxy voting for over 70s and those that are shielding.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/03/mps-shielding-from-covid-19-allowed-proxy-vote-in-johnson-u-turn

Just got to make sure all those Tories able to vote in person will actually vote this through.

This bit is interesting though:

Karen Bradley, the chair of the procedures committee, and Labour’s Chris Bryant are expected to table amendments on Tuesday [think this should be Thursday] to the motion to allow for parts of the so-called “hybrid proceedings” to continue.

This would mean any MPs who cannot get to the Commons during the pandemic can take part in debates and committees over Zoom and vote online – as they have done since the middle of April.

The world is in a mess mainly through government decisions and behaviour.
There's sweet FA we can do about it, not like we can vote for them to sort it out.
You are just the puppets, politicians pull the strings.

@Devlesko

If you wanted to take all power from people, what one thing would make that easy?

To convince them that their actions had no positive consequences.

Don’t disempower yourself or others. You do have choice, a voice and power.