42 Days: The aftermath (1?)
The bill to extend the period of detention without charge to 42 Days passed the Commons.
315 MPs voted for.
306 MPs voted against.
Note that there are 9 DUP MPs. Who, I’m told, voted for.
So now we know. What were they offered to stick with the government? Perhaps Gordon agreed that any homosexuals detained under the bill would be entered for “re-education” while imprisoned…
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. The DUP has never been known for its attachment to liberalism - or anything approaching it. The government doubtless offered concessions to them, as it was a perfect opportunity to levy something, but had their votes not been so important, they might have gone this way as it is.
Which, of course, says nothing for the DUP.
The Lords will now be crucial. They’ll reject it, I suspect; but will the government use the Parliament Act? It’d be drastic, but it could happen. There’s a lot riding on the Bill, after all. If the government gets defeated on it, they’ll sink from barely treading water to drowning, such is the emphasis they’ve laid on it.
And they might just get away with forcing it through the Lords this time. Their Commons majority was tiny - but it was there. More importantly, they can claim to have the support of the public; that poll showing 80% public support (I worry…) for the measure may see some air again soon.
But would it be in their interests? A devious voice in the back of the mind says the government might not want the bill to pass the Lords. Ministers may well know the bill will have disastrous effects for which they’ll be clobbered in key marginals at the next election. They couldn’t back down from a Commons fight without losing face. But if the Lords reject it, they can blame that for the bill’s defeat and scurry away without as much of a dent to the reputation. I do wonder, at least…
Until then, I’m off to seethe…
Leave a Reply