Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #CoronaVirusBill
Most recents (9)
Delighted that the amendments to the #CoronavirusBill promoted by @SarahLudford and me (on the provision of meaningful information to Parliament, and confirming full compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998) bore fruit this afternoon ... /1
... in the form not of changes to the Bill, which the timetable was never going to permit, but of positive ministerial statements by Earl Howe and Lord Bethell (Hansard, when it catches up, will be here hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2020-03-…). /2
On the need to give Parliament proper information, my speech is here hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2020-03-… and the Minister's response here parliamentlive.tv/event/index/71…. /3
We always knew that liberals considered federalizing control over elections to be an important priority. We just never dreamed it was more important than fighting the coronavirus pandemic or preserving American jobs. @ElectionLawCtr @HvonSpakovsky
dailysign.al/2UgxflW
dailysign.al/2UgxflW
Progressives long for federal mandates over how we vote, when we vote and who gets to collect #AbsenteeBallots.
@ElectionLawCtr @HvonSpakovsky
dailysign.al/2UgxflW
@ElectionLawCtr @HvonSpakovsky
dailysign.al/2UgxflW
Reforms that will make it easier to #ManipulateElection outcomes and commit fraud are now back in play, as part of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s massive $2.5 trillion #CoronavirusBill.@ElectionLawCtr @HvonSpakovsky
dailysign.al/2UgxflW
dailysign.al/2UgxflW
Our analysis of the #CoronavirusBill passed by Parliament ‘Why believe a party which wanted to abolish Human Rights Act, decimated the NHS now trusted with ‘policing’ the greatest crisis to hit the UK since WW2’ thread👇🏽 aameranwar.co.uk/news/the-war-o…
These laws will not happen in isolation, there has been little practical concern for the poor, the vulnerable, prisoners, immigration detainees, those on zero hour contracts, the self-employed, those renting or those being forced to come to work.
...the option of cutting services where they are already desperately needed only to transfer them to fighting a pandemic which may not have an end for some time. At the same time we are expecting a Conservative Govt to protect our NHS when they have been decimating it for years.
Now in Hansard, as is the whole debate. We call it scrutiny, but this Bill was 321 pages yesterday, 360 pages today and we got 6 minutes each ... 
Thanks to all who sent briefings. A shame that there was not time to do them all justice - though they may be useful later.
This was our third emergency bill of the year so far – EU withdrawal, terrorist sentencing, and now #CoronavirusBill.
What is absent from this government is a commitment to liberty; to human rights. There is no evidence of self-restraint or respect for constitutional safeguards and structures. Boris likes to cast himself as a Churchillian figure but when Churchill imposed emergency laws he said:
"Immense surrender of their hard-won liberties has been made by the British people, in order, in time of war to preserve the cause of freedom. Parliament stands custodian to their surrendered liberties, and its most sacred duty will be to restore them when victory is won"
It would be great if MPs would today attempt to secure at least a formal commitment to the ideal of liberty, to the restoring our full human rights at the earliest opportunity #CoronavirusBill
NEW BLOG: David Natzler, former Clerk (chief official) of the House of Commons, looks at the emergency bill being debated today, and how else parliament may need to adapt to maintain scrutiny during the COVID-19 crisis. #coronavirusuk
THREAD ⬇️⬇️
constitution-unit.com/2020/03/23/par…
THREAD ⬇️⬇️
constitution-unit.com/2020/03/23/par…
The Coronavirus Bill will be debated in the Commons today: a 321-page bill to be discussed for just six hours before going to the Lords.
Speed is clearly necessary, but it contains extensive powers and scrutiny is important to avoid mistakes being made.
Speed is clearly necessary, but it contains extensive powers and scrutiny is important to avoid mistakes being made.
An sad feature of current circumstances is that the #CoronavirusBill won't benefit from the usual scrutiny from key committees: Joint Committee on Human Rights, Lords Constitution and Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform committees.
Plenty for them to consider in this bill.
Plenty for them to consider in this bill.
STATEMENT on #CoronavirusBillUK:
The #CoronavirusBill:
Empowers police, immigration officers & public health officials to demand documentation; detain & isolate members of the public potentially indefinitely, including children; & forcibly take biological samples for testing /1
The #CoronavirusBill:
Empowers police, immigration officers & public health officials to demand documentation; detain & isolate members of the public potentially indefinitely, including children; & forcibly take biological samples for testing /1
It permits prohibition of public events & gatherings without standard protections for strikes & industrial action that exist in Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
It weakens safeguards on the exercise of mass surveillance powers, quadrupling time review limits for urgent warrants /2
It weakens safeguards on the exercise of mass surveillance powers, quadrupling time review limits for urgent warrants /2
It is right that Government is taking rapid and robust action to protect public health, but we cannot let basic rights fall casualty to this crisis.
Our country faces challenges best when we hold onto our values, not abandon them. /3
Our country faces challenges best when we hold onto our values, not abandon them. /3
Full text of #CoronavirusBill is here services.parliament.uk/Bills/2019-21/…
329 pages, 27 schedules - a huge Bill which in normal times would receive months of pre-legislative / legislative scrutiny, and dozens of amendments, most of them tabled or accepted by Government. /2
These are not normal times of course, and I am sure the urgency is justified. But having legislated in haste (and reportedly, without divisions), surely Parliament must have a chance to revisit it before 2 years are up. /3
Prelim thoughts on the #CoronavirusBill. Sweeping emergency powers have huge implications for #CivilLiberties. There must be meaningful parliamentary scrutiny including regular review by Parliament once the bill is passed #HumanRights gov.uk/government/pub…
It’s not so much the powers I object to in the circumstances but the length of time for which the Govt is proposing to grant itself these powers. Two years is too long. The powers shd require more regular renewal by Parliament.
As @bricksilk, the former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has argued what is required is constructive scrutiny. This is our duty as Parliamentarians
