MetaFilter posts tagged with parliament

An Unlikely Couple

Sova — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:42:09 -0800

In 1771, John Wilkes succeeded in defending the freedom of the press to report the then secret debates of Parliament. In 2009, the well-known libel law firm Carter-Ruck, possibly acting on behalf of their clients Trafigura, succeeded in gagging The Guardian newspaper from reporting a question to be asked in Parliament (see #61). The possible identification of the question - and thus the company - was "tentatively" made by Guido Fawkes shortly after the existence of the gagging order was made public. However, it is not surprising given Trafigura's history of vigorously defending against claims that it knowingly dumped toxic waste in Ivory Coast.

27 countries, 375 estimated voters, one European election

ruelle — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:52:16 -0800

The European elections results 2009 website will open on June 7 at 18.00 CET. While waiting for the results, check out the issues, the EU 30 years ago and now and the EU Parliament twitter feed.

Who is Daniel Hannan?

MuffinMan — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:42:07 -0800

On Tuesday, Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan took the opportunity to "skewer" Gordon Brown in the kind of biting rhetoric rarely, if ever, seen in UK parliament. Despite having alerted UK press organisations, including his own part-time employer, Hannan's speech was not picked up by the UK press until... it started getting a heavy push from the US punditocracy. Now picked up by the right wing media in the UK, Hannan is being held up, not only as an example of a young thrusting truth teller, but prime evidence of the kind of liberal media US pundits have talked about for years. Perhaps it is, or perhaps his popularity in the US is simply retribution for the groundswell of support shown on the east side of the Atlantic for Obama. Nonetheless, it raises the question about whether this is the defining moment when foreign blogs - or the internets - started setting the agenda in the UK.

Damn you Cromwell!

Horace Rumpole — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:44:01 -0800

For all which Treasons and Crimes, this Court doth adjudge that the said Charles Stuart, as a Tyrant, Traitor, Murtherer, and a public enemy, shall be put to death by the severing of his Head from his Body. On January 30, 1649, King Charles I was beheaded on a scaffold at Whitehall. Historical reenactment. Some background. The inspiration for the post title.

The House will now consider the Flags for Orphans bill

TheDonF — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:22:30 -0800

UK MPs trying to block publishing their expenses - they're voting on Thursday to overturn last year's High Court ruling. TheyWorkForYou is emailing members to let them know that the UK government buried the news of this vote amongst last week's Heathrow runway anouncement. They are trying to reverse the 16 May 2008 High Court decision that MPs' expenses must, under the Freedom Of Information Act, be made public. What can you do about this mixture of Jo Moore and Krusty? TheyWorkForYou is encouraging people to write to their local MP to ask them to vote against the bill, join the obligatory Facebook group or use their MySociety site to contact local media outlets.

Everybody's hugging!

Halloween Jack — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:58:10 -0800

Of what purpose is a lap dance? Is it about alcohol and leisure? Is it an exercise in objectification? Is it a question that requires a lap-dancing body (phwoar!) to decide? Or Parliament? Should someone hold a seance and ask Paul Raymond? (previously) And, finally, would it make a difference if you could have this lapdance here for free[NSFW]?

Lords a-blogging

Phanx — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:11:23 -0800

Lords of the Blog is a collaborative blog written by Members of the House of Lords for the purposes of public engagement - a pilot project. Or why not nominate someone for memberhip of the House of Lords? Citizens of the UK, Ireland and Commonwealth only, I'm afraid.

Bloggers in Parliament

divabat — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:50:49 -0800

This year's elections in Malaysia are historic due to the major wins by the Opposition/People's Front and the National Front's loss of 5 states and the 2/3 majority in parliament (one they've held since 1969) (comparisons). Two of the newly elected Members of Parliament are bloggers Tony Pua and Jeff Ooi; another blogger, Elizabeth Wong, has won a seat in the state assembly of the now-Opposition-run Selangor. This is significant, as Malaysian bloggers had been under attack by the government. (last link YouTube video in Malay with subtitles).

Restoring the right to protest with your keyboard

Happy Dave — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:58:41 -0800

The Government are clear that there should be no unnecessary restrictions on people's right to protest and it is right to review provisions which have generated such concern. Two years ago, the British government effectively removed the right to spontaneous peaceful protest around the UK Parliament. Now, that legislation is under review, with a public consultation open until mid-January. Originally designed to supplement existing sessional orders which protected the abilitity of Members of Parliament to attend debates and votes, the legislation was a self-described "sledgehammer to crack a nut. But, he is a nut" as stated by the Rt Honourable David Blunkett, talking about the peace protester Brian Haw. In accomplishing that anti-democratic objective, it failed. The harm has been done elsewhere, with a peace protester arrested, charged and convicted for reading the names of British Iraq war dead aloud outside Downing Street, the arrest of a man for holding a placard with an Orwell quote and the subsequent confiscation from him of photocopied Vanity Fair articles about the government's erosion of civil liberties. With representations of Brian Haw's protest winning the Turner Prize, participation in a public forum will help the UK government remember the importance of dissent.

Big man with a big heart does his part

fearfulsymmetry — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:26:54 -0800

Mark Wallinger has won the Turner Prize for 'State Britain' his recreation of Brian Haw's Parliament Square peace protest. Although for the prize exhibition (this year out of London for the first time) Wallinger showed a video of himself dressed in a bear costume. The seems to be at least one critic's choice although not everyone agrees. Wallinger had previously been short-listed for the prize in 1995 for work exploring his interest in horse racing. Although he is probably best know for the Christ sculpture 'Ecce Homo', and religious themed videos he has produced an eclectic set of work including a TARDIS sculpture.

I wants to get funked up.

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:15:29 -0800

From 50's doo-wop crooner (and hairstylist extraordinaire) to 60's soul stepper to 70's psychedelic funk overlord and beyond, Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under A Groove takes a loving, informative and very entertaining look at the career of the legendary George Clinton and his unstoppable, hydra-headed funk machine. Previously and Previouslier on MeFi.

Kiwi politicians lack humor

chrisbucks — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 01:39:30 -0800

The New Zealand media knows when something is funny[youtube], but seems parliament lacks a sense of humor. Parliament is moving to restrict publication of footage of MPs misbehaving. Oh well. No more of this then. Censorship of satire? What Next?

Malaysia, Politics, and Bloggers

divabat — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 15:31:19 -0800

An Indonesian TV crew was invited to Malaysia for their Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign but encountered many problems. They write up about it - and start a flurry of comments and controversy across the Malaysian government about blogging. [more inside]

The strangest election ever

athenian — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 14:49:13 -0800

There's about to be an election (pdf) in the British Parliament's second chamber, the House of Lords. Not an election where the public can choose their lawmakers: that's still a matter of debate. No, one of the 92 hereditary Lords has died, and those of his party colleagues that remain get to choose another hereditary peer to take his place. So the election, in which only hereditary peers registered as Conservatives can stand, will be decided by the votes of the 47 Conservative hereditary peers still clinging to the twig. And just to make sure it's properly democratic - the vote is by proportional representation.

"Number one, Mr. Speaker"

TimeTravelSpeed — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 17:48:32 -0800

Prime Minister's Questions is a weekly televised convention in the UK started in the 1950s during which Members of Parliament get a chance to hold their leader accountable for his or her actions. Sick of boring political meetings? "PMQ" is fast-paced, hip, heated, eloquent, insulting, and sometimes hilarious. In fact, the inherant humor of it is has been well explored.

But brits aren't the only ones; "Question Time", as it's called generically, has been adapted in other countries as well. Yet the show often shocks Americans since the concept of weekly unscripted access to leaders without giving days of question prep-time seems like a fantasy. Of course, maybe the alternative (0:41) is much worse.

The Cats of Parliament Hill

Hot Like Your 12V Wire — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 13:33:45 -0800

Along the Ottawa River, past the Peace Tower, is the Centre Block of Parliament—for cats. Started by Irene Desormeaux in the 1970s and taken care of by Rene Chartrand (who recently received the Humane Society of Canada's Heroes for Animals Award) since 1987, the 20-40 cats on the property have been one of the lesser-known parts of Parliament Hill. [via]

A House full of insults: an informal look at the history of parliamentary put-downs

nthdegx — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 01:00:31 -0800

A House full of insults is an informal look at the history of parliamentary put-downs and their inconsistent consequences in Britain's House of Commons.

Free your mind and your ass will follow.

OmieWise — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 06:38:02 -0800

Got questions about the Funk Mob? This is the place to go. The Motherpage covers everything P. Funk, from an extensive faq, through an incredibly detailed discography, to a bibliography that can lead to years more reading.

Arctic Blue Books

plep — Tue, 28 Dec 2004 23:32:26 -0800

Arctic Blue Books Online - 'a searchable, World-Wide Web version of Andrew Taylor's unique index to the 19th Century British Parliamentary Papers concerned with the Canadian Arctic. '

Gettin involvit in the Scottish Pairlament

xmutex — Fri, 10 Sep 2004 10:03:26 -0800

Gettin involvit in the Scottish Pairlament The Scottish Pairlament is here for tae represent aw Scotland's folk. We want tae mak siccar that as mony folk as can is able tae find oot aboot whit the Scottish Pairlament dis and whit wey it warks.

BUSH PULLS OUT OF SPEECH TO PARLIAMENT

wsg — Mon, 17 Nov 2003 10:09:13 -0800

Bush pulls out of speech to Parliament during upcoming British trip. Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and Francois Mitterand, have all given speeches to the Lords and the Commons while visiting Britain, but Bush is afraid of hecklers.

A sordid tale

plep — Tue, 29 Jul 2003 10:12:08 -0800

Diego Garcia islanders await call to go home. 'Cherry and thousands of other islanders were the victims of a brutal depopulation strategy by Britain in the 1960s and 1970s which sought to hand over an empty island to the United States for use as a key military base. The depopulation campaign ended in 1973 with the removal of the last islanders, who were dumped on the quays of the Mauritian capital, Port Louis ... '
The Chagos Islands: A sordid tale. 'The story involves "bribes" from the United States, racism among senior civil servants, and the UK Government deceiving parliament and the United Nations.'
The Chagos archipelago: Decolonisation and human rights., by the Southern African Human Rights NGO Network, includes a brief history of the islands from original settlement by French settlers and African slaves. 'For a people as a whole to be actually victimised by the act of forced eviction from their homeland must be the most humiliating, supreme injustice and degrading treatment any people can be made to undergo. '

Ludvig Borga v. Tarja Halonen in a steel cage

RobbieFal — Thu, 20 Mar 2003 15:11:09 -0800

You're a pro wrestler (seen here in action figure form) who was just elected to the parliment of Finland with one of the highest vote totals in the country. Although calling your President a lesbian isn't really the first thing you want to do after your election.

stevengarrity — Mon, 02 Sep 2002 10:02:21 -0800

Canadian Prime Minister surprises with pledge to put Kyoto accord to Parliament. Until now, with resistance from the oil-rich western provinces, Canada has been luke-warm on Kyoto. PM Jean Chretien surprised all of us (a pleasant surprise, for many) by making the announcement today at the Summit in South Africa. The PM recently announced that he'll be leaving office in 18 months - leaving him with a lot of power and little accountability - possibly working on his own legacy rather than for the good of his country. So far so good.

runthegamut — Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:12:05 -0800

"I think I'm big enough to play the game" says Australian Parliament member Barry Haase, referring to his "purchase" for a day by brothel owner Mary-Anne Kenworthy (heh heh, she said 'member'). Auctioned to the highest bidder (he fetched $1000Australian) at the local Rotary Club charity auction, Haase will perform such duties as cleaning the brothel in a "frilly apron" and conducting a tour of the premises. Wonder if he'll wear anything besides what the proprietress' called her "tour hat"...