E-Petitions

[squidge63]

Read this morning these are a farce, first you have to get 100,000 signatures AND it then has to be suggested by an MP.. so the petition for rioters to lose benefits which those more than 100,000 would have to be proposed by an MP.. no MP decided to discuss the riots.

 

[novorapidboi26]

MMM......

I thought that if they reached 100,000 plus then the topic will be discussed at the very least.......

So someone still needs to approve it for discussion, surely its not just one MP, that wouldn't be very fair..........the whole point is for all MPs to voice there opinion............

 

[squidge63]

I some people don't like the Daily Mail but where the article was..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2034915/E-petition-scheme-descends-farce-MPs-time-people-power-debates.html

I just looked at the governments e-petitions website to for info on them and found the following..

If you collect 100,000 signatures, your e-petition could be debated in the House of Commons

If your e-petition reaches more than 100,000 signatures, it will be sent to the House of Commons. The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons will check it against:
the terms and conditions for e-petitions
the rules of the House of Commons
Successful e-petitions will be communicated to the Backbench Business Committee This link opens in a new window. It will decide if your issue will be debated in the House of Commons.

 

[Robster65]

I presume the theory is that, if you get 100,000 sigs then it must be a well thought out and popular idea, rather than a knee-jerk reaction or an extreme view that wouldn't carry the popular vote.

There is only so much that can be debated in the House and many important topics get passed over. But epetitions does seem more of a pacifier of the masses than a tool of democracy. The last thing politicians want is the public to start getting involved in policy making. 🙄

Rob