Starter for ten

The Liberal Democrats have a propersition for a bill that truely lives up to their name. Ten reasons to vote Lib-Dem, and all wrapped up in one bill. HT Guido

1. Restrictions on protests in Parliament Square - Sections 132 to 138; Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
2. Identity Cards - Identity Cards Act 2006
3. Extradition to the US - Part 2, Extradition Act 2003
4. Conditions on public assemblies - Section 57, Clause 123, Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
5. Criminalising trespass -Sections 128 to 131, Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
6. Control orders - Section 1, Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
7. DNA retention - Sections 78-84, Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, Sections 9-10, Criminal Justice Act 2003
8. Public interest defence for whistleblowing, Official Secrets Act 1989
9. Right to silence, Sections 34-39, Public Order Act 1994 - England and Wales
10. Hearsay evidence, Sections 114-136, Criminal Justice Act 2003

That will do to start with, but there is plenty more illberal crap where that came from (New Labour mainly). This is the kind of bill that Labour could not even contemplate. It removes legislation without replacing it, an impossibility for a party with such a monumental case of regulatory diarrhea as Labour. It gives up power, which is against the core goal of the whole New Labour project. And it is Liberal. Which Labour is not and never has been. Great stuff.

They also have a form for submitting your own things to repeal. I suggested the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act because nobody should be guilty until proven innocent and it should be legal to keep private corespondance private.