[{"topic":"Political parties","id":"43481","proposer":"11719","edm":"2332A1","session":"2010-12","title":"Chartist Movement In South Wales","text":"at end add `further notes that one of the key aims of the Chartist movement was the equalisation of all parliamentary constituencies and notes that this is finally about to be realised.'.","date":"2011-11-07","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"43420","proposer":"24728","edm":"2332","session":"2010-12","title":"Chartist Movement In South Wales","text":"That this House congratulates the Blaenau Gwent Chartist and Historical Society on its work in celebrating the successes of the Chartist movement and commemorating the lives of those who died in pursuit of their cause; notes the remarkable achievements for British democracy of the Chartist movement, from secret ballots to the abolition of property qualification for those standing for parliament, as well as the important contribution made by the movement to universal suffrage; and finally wishes to remember the Chartists who died in the Newport Uprising led by people from the South Wales valleys on 4 November 1839 and the sacrifice they made for the democratic freedoms enjoyed in the UK today.","date":"2011-10-31","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"43096","proposer":"10431","edm":"2025","session":"2010-12","title":"50th Anniversary Of The Christian Socialist Movement","text":"That this House congratulates the Christian Socialist Movement on celebrating its 50th anniversary and celebrates the Movement's positive contribution to political thought, social justice and Christian engagement in political life; acknowledges the contribution to debate over the years made through the R H Tawney Speeches and more recently the Tawney Dialogues; notes that they encourage Christians to engage in political action and to work for a society reflecting the values of social justice; further notes that the Movement is dedicated to building a greater political understanding between people of different faiths; celebrates the Movement's contribution to campaigns such as cancellation of Third World Debt, climate change regulation and separation of banks; and applauds the Movement for pursuing the ideals of F D Maurice and R H Tawney by promoting personal, social and economic freedom, social justice and equality.","date":"2011-07-04","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"42627","proposer":"24892","edm":"1580","session":"2010-12","title":"Labour Party And Tuition Fees","text":"That this House notes the comments of Lord Mandelson in the foreword to his updated memoir The Third Man that `I assumed, as the Treasury did, that the outcome [of the Browne Review] would have to include a significant increase in tuition fees' and that he felt that tuition fees would have to double in order to offset the deficit-reduction measures that the Labour Party would also have implemented had it won the election; recalls that fees were introduced in 1997 by a Labour government with a Parliamentary majority of 179; further recalls that they were then tripled in 2001, by a Labour government with a Parliamentary majority of 167; further notes that by Lord Mandelson's admission, had the Labour Party continued in office after the 2010 general election, it would have sought to at the very least double tuition fees; and regrets that the current Labour leadership has not been open and transparent about this issue.","date":"2011-03-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"42444","proposer":"24848","edm":"1415","session":"2010-12","title":"Harry Tout","text":"That this House notes and congratulates Harry Tout of Guisborough, Cleveland, on reaching his 90th birthday; further notes that he has been a lifelong member of the Labour Party, fought for his country and democracy against Nazism and fascism during World War II, helped to sustain the Labour Party and trade union movement in his birth town of Lewes, in Falkirk and for the last 50 years in Guisborough, saw that past and present Labour members of the House gained their seats and served loyally as a Labour councillor and former Mayor of the Town of Guisborough; and salutes him as a fine example of the citizen who played a role in creating a peaceful post-war welfare state for the UK.","date":"2011-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"42322","proposer":"24935","edm":"1303","session":"2010-12","title":"Centenary Of The Death Of Robert Tressell","text":"That this House notes the centenary of the death of Robert Noonan (Tressell) on 3 February 2011 interred in a pauper's grave in Walton, Liverpool; recognises the significance of his seminal work, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists within the wider Labour movement; and applauds both the work of the Robert Tressell Society and the commemorative programme of events organised by Liverpool City Council to appropriately recognise his historical and literary importance.","date":"2011-01-19","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"41856","proposer":"10203","edm":"875","session":"2010-12","title":"Welsh Parliamentary Party","text":"That this House welcomes the revival of the Welsh Parliamentary Party (WPP) Plaid Seneddol Gymreig as the only Commons body that fairly represents the authentic democratic voice of Wales; and believes that its membership of all hon. Members representing Welsh seats will continue the distinguished role the WPP has played in the life of the nation since 1888.","date":"2010-10-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"41350","proposer":"10684","edm":"409","session":"2010-12","title":"Labour Diversity Fund Campaign","text":"That this House supports the campaign within the Labour Party for the creation of a fund within the Labour Party that local parties can draw on to develop talented individuals from under-represented groups to provide bursaries and grants to individuals who would be unable to sustain the costs of candidacy; recognises that there is unacceptably low representation in Parliament of groups from low-income backgrounds such as manual workers, ethnic minorities, women and disabled people; and calls on all sides of the House to campaign for similar funds to be created.","date":"2010-07-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"40897","proposer":"10218","edm":"1235","session":"2009-10","title":"Britain-Israel Communications And Research Centre","text":"That this House notes with concern the operations of the Britain-Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM) and its funding of political parties in the UK; further notes that its chairman, Poju Zabludowicz, has donated over two million pounds to BICOM over the last three years and has funded the Conservative Party through a British subsidiary company, Tamares Real Estate Investments; further notes with concern allegations that Tamares is a beneficiary of investments in Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem; and questions whether it is appropriate for political parties in the UK to receive funding derived from such activities.","date":"2010-04-06","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"40782","proposer":"10487","edm":"1140","session":"2009-10","title":"Political Donations Originating Overseas","text":"That this House notes that in its recent investigation the Electoral Commission satisfied itself that Bearwood Corporate Services carried on some trade in the UK and is registered here and is, therefore, a permissible donor; further notes the Commission's view that there is nothing in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 which requires donations to a political party to be generated from a company's own trading; observes that the millions donated by Bearwood to the Conservative Party did not come from profits generated here in the UK from trading but originated overseas; and calls for the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to be amended to close this loophole.","date":"2010-03-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"40352","proposer":"10295","edm":"760","session":"2009-10","title":"Co-Operative Party Manifesto","text":"That this House welcomes and supports the vision and measures set out in the Co-operative Party manifesto; believes that the principles and values of the Co-operative movement provide a relevant and positive response to the policy challenges and opportunities faced by the UK and globally; further believes that it is time to create institutions that demonstrably serve the collective needs of the population; further believes that there is a real appetite for such policies; and calls on policy-makers to take up the policies and ideas set out in the Co-operative Party manifesto.","date":"2010-02-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"39379","proposer":"10219","edm":"2145","session":"2008-09","title":"BBC And The British National Party","text":"That this House believes that the BBC are profoundly wrong to argue that just because the modern heirs of Hitler, the holocaust-denying racists of the BNP, have the support of six per cent. of the UK population they should be treated as a normal party and invited onto the main television political programme Question Time; notes that no previous BBC Director General made such a judgement and that neither Martin Webster, who polled 16 per cent. in a by election in 1973, John Tyndall, Colin Jordan or Oswald Mosley were treated in the same way; and further believes that this significant change of policy by Mark Thompson, Director General of the publicly-funded, poll tax-financed BBC further calls into question the judgement of BBC management and the role of the pusillanimous BBC Trust.","date":"2009-10-22","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"39362","proposer":"13934","edm":"2128","session":"2008-09","title":"British National Party Appearance On Question Time","text":"That this House believes that the BBC is wrong to allow the racist and fascist British National Party (BNP) to appear on its political flagship programme Question Time as it will convey a spurious legitimacy to the BNP that it does not deserve and risks normalising this poisonous, abnormal political party; further believes that Question Time is not the forum to scrutinise the odious racist views of the BNP and regards other television formats such as the forensic interview as more suitable for exposing their false and divisive views and signalling their place outside the political mainstream; calls on the BBC to drop the BNP from its programme; and urges all those who believe in equality and who campaign against racism and fascism to unite against the BNP in all communities throughout the United Kingdom.","date":"2009-10-21","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"39278","proposer":"10062","edm":"2048","session":"2008-09","title":"Manchester And The Conservative Party Conference","text":"That this House thanks Greater Manchester Police and all the conference, security, hotel and restaurant staff as well as all those who extended such a warm welcome to representatives attending the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, 4-8 October 2009; notes that their courtesy and professionalism kept the conference safe and successful; and further notes that this helped to provide an excellent showcase for Manchester as a vibrant centre of commerce, culture and entertainment and as a world class conference venue.","date":"2009-10-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"38860","proposer":"11245","edm":"1648A1","session":"2008-09","title":"Non-Domiciled Donations To Political Parties","text":"leave out `large'.","date":"2009-06-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"38833","proposer":"10487","edm":"1648","session":"2008-09","title":"Non-Domiciled Donations To Political Parties","text":"That this House believes legislation is urgently required to make it unlawful for UK citizens who are not UK residents for tax purposes to make large donations to UK political parties; notes that the Political Parties and Elections Bill currently before the House provides a vehicle for addressing this issue; and urges the Government to table appropriate amendments and, in the meantime, invites hon. Members to research via the blue rosette the website of the hon. Member for Pendle to the scale and impact of unrestricted and unregulated spending in Pendle as over the last two years.","date":"2009-06-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"38834","proposer":"10467","edm":"1649","session":"2008-09","title":"Location Of Bust Of Keir Hardie","text":"That this House notes with pride the legacy of J Keir Hardie, founder of the Labour Party and first leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party; recognises his pioneering commitment to campaigns for a minimum wage, a Scottish Parliament, women's suffrage, independence for India, and an end to segregation in South Africa; and while welcoming the presence of the magnificent bust of Keir Hardie by Benno Schotz positioned in the Lower Waiting Hall, supports the re-siting of the bust in Central Lobby or some other suitable place on the Line of Route, so that it can be readily viewed by the general public visiting the Houses of Parliament.","date":"2009-06-11","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"38709","proposer":"10487","edm":"1538","session":"2008-09","title":"Publication Of Constituency Party And Constituency Association Accounts","text":"That this House welcomes the transparency afforded by the annual publication of the accounts of constituency parties and constituency associations; but notes with concern that substantial transfers of money to a constituency from the central party organisation are confidential and not in the public domain; and calls on the Government to bring forward measures requiring this information to be disclosed.","date":"2009-05-20","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"38686","proposer":"10521","edm":"1516","session":"2008-09","title":"Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry Vc","text":"That this House calls on all decent British citizens to condemn the British National Party (BNP) for stating on its website that Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry was awarded the Victoria Cross, not for bravery in the face of the enemy in Iraq in 2005 and saving the lives of comrades in two individual acts of great heroism as set out in the Citation, but for what the BNP disgracefully says was a `politically correct' decision by the Ministry of Defence for an action limited to the Grenada-born soldier driving away very fast from a combat zone; is proud that HM Armed Forces comprises men and women from all ethnic backgrounds, from the UK and the Commonwealth, plus Gurkhas from Nepal; notes as an historic fact that people of all racial groups served, and lost their lives, fighting fascism in the Second World War and thus helped to preserve this country's freedoms against such evils; deplores the use in BNP election literature of a false photograph of a British soldier, with false quote, claiming support for the BNP; and urges the Government to ensure that the British people are made fully aware that the BNP represents the views which Britain went to war to defeat.","date":"2009-05-18","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"37978","proposer":"11641","edm":"899","session":"2008-09","title":"INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY","text":"That this House recognises the importance of International Women's Day on 8 March 2009; notes the findings of Girlguiding UK's report Political Outsiders: We Care, But Will We Vote, published in partnership with the Fawcett Society and the British Youth Council, that the most important political issues facing young women today include domestic violence, gangs and knife crime, bullying and workplace equality; is concerned that the research reveals that young women today feel deep disengagement from local and national politics; further notes that more must be done to engage young women in politics by giving them a voice on issues that affect them directly; acknowledges the call for political parties to consider publishing young people's manifestos; and therefore demands greater efforts from all sides of the House in pioneering ways to inspire the next generation of female policy-makers.","date":"2009-02-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"37407","proposer":"10487","edm":"391","session":"2008-09","title":"Conduct Of Lord Laidlaw","text":"That this House notes with concern that Lord Laidlaw donated over \u00c2\u00a3100,000 to the Conservative Party in 2008 despite his residence in Monaco and his status as a tax exile; records its astonishment that the Official Opposition accepted the donations without demur; and believes it is inappropriate for political parties to accept donations from those who are not UK residents for tax purposes.","date":"2009-01-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"37408","proposer":"10363","edm":"392","session":"2008-09","title":"Establishment Of Labour Friends Of Palestine And The Middle East","text":"That this House welcomes the launch of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East to provide a voice for Labour Party members and supporters who want to see a viable and independent state of Palestine alongside Israel; acknowledges that the organisation opposes the use of violence, whether by Israel or Palestinians, and regards the excessive military force used by Israel in Gaza as grossly disproportionate and counterproductive; notes with concern that moderate Palestinian public opinion is being critically undermined by Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the confiscation of Palestinian land and the proliferation of checkpoints; presses for international laws to be upheld and the human rights and equality of Palestinians and all peoples in the region to be respected; and looks forward to working with the Government and the Labour Party to promote a just and sustainable peace settlement for Israel and Palestine.","date":"2009-01-12","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"37247","proposer":"10780","edm":"216A1","session":"2008-09","title":"British National Party Racism Cuts Both Ways Campaign","text":"at end add `but does nonetheless accept that, whether fascists or democrats use the phrase, racism does indeed cut both ways.'.","date":"2008-12-10","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"37190","proposer":"10385","edm":"196","session":"2008-09","title":"Funding Of Sinn Fein","text":"That this House calls for a review of current funding arrangements under which Sinn Fein can use parliamentary funds calculated on the same terms as Short money for expenditure on press, publicity and other representative functions including constituency party promotion which is in fact party constituency work, a facility which is not allowed to other parties represented in the House.","date":"2008-12-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"37210","proposer":"10828","edm":"216","session":"2008-09","title":"British National Party Racism Cuts Both Ways Campaign","text":"That this House deplores the Racism Cuts Both Ways campaign being waged by the British National Party (BNP); believes that this is a deliberate attempt by the BNP to whip up racism by spreading lies and misinformation; is particularly concerned that the BNP is now intending to target secondary school children; and deplores the incitement of racial violence by the spread of falsehood in such propaganda.","date":"2008-12-09","status":"o"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"36758","proposer":"11656","edm":"2371","session":"2007-08","title":"More Women, More Power Campaign","text":"That this House is concerned that less than 20 per cent. of parliamentarians worldwide are women; recognises that this is a matter of justice and democracy and essential to tackling poverty and inequality and achieving the Millennium Development Goals; encourages hon. Members to support One World Action's More Women, More Power Campaign for greater political representations globally and in the UK by pressing for more aid to go to programmes in developing countries which promote and support women's political participation; and calls for action now to implement Article 7 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women on ending discrimination in political and public life.","date":"2008-10-29","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"36325","proposer":"10022","edm":"1994","session":"2007-08","title":"Young People And Party Politics","text":"That this House congratulates Councillor Carla Butler on becoming the youngest ever person to chair Lewes District Council; further congratulates her on, according to the Brighton Argus, becoming the youngest ever person, at 26 years of age, to chair any council in the UK; notes the under-representation of young people in party politics; believes that the contribution of younger councillors on councils is invaluable; and encourages the active involvement of young people in local government, local politics and local communities.","date":"2008-07-08","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"36156","proposer":"10383","edm":"1847","session":"2007-08","title":"Public Sector Workers And Unison Poll","text":"That this House notes the findings of the recent Ipsos-Mori opinion poll survey commissioned by Unison which show that 49 per cent. of public service workers are less likely to vote Labour than in 2005, that Government policy on running public services would be important when people decide how to vote at the next election and that 79 per cent. of people believe that public services should be run by the Government or local authorities rather than by private companies; and further commends the comments of Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis, that the poll is a wake-up call to the Prime Minister and that `it's time to end the affair with big business and recapture traditional ground. Public sector workers, Labour's natural supporters, are deserting the party in their droves'.","date":"2008-06-19","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35559","proposer":"10185","edm":"1320","session":"2007-08","title":"BNP CANDIDATE NICK ERIKSEN'S VIEWS ON RAPE","text":"That this House congratulates the Evening Standard newspaper on its work with Searchlight, the anti-Nazi campaign organisation, in exposing the author of the far-right web blog `Sir John Bull' as BNP member Nick Eriksen; believes that every decent person will be alarmed that Nick Eriksen is the BNP's second-highest candidate on its list for the Greater London Assembly elections on 1st May and their London organiser; condemns Mr Eriksen's comments made on 24th August 2007: `I've never understood why so many men have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by the feminazi myth machine into believing that rape is such a serious crime ... Rape is simply sex. Women enjoy sex, so rape cannot be such a terrible physical ordeal.' and `To suggest that rape, when conducted without violence, is a serious crime is like suggesting that forcefeeding a woman chocolate cake is a heinous offence. A woman would be more inconvenienced by having her handbag snatched'; further condemns his comment on 5th November 2005, in an item entitled Give her a slap!, where he stated: `Some women are like gongs - they need to be struck regularly,' and on 8th November, when he claimed that `the vast majority of domestic [assaults] are initiated by the woman,'; is appalled by Mr Eriksen's attempts to defend his views by stating `I was trying to make the point that there are two kinds of rape'; and congratulates the Evening Standard for exposing Mr Eriksen's repugnant views to the people of London.","date":"2008-04-02","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35397","proposer":"10339","edm":"1176","session":"2007-08","title":"Conduct Of The Liberal Democrat Party In Liverpool","text":"That this House deplores the distribution of Liberal Democrat leaflets in Liverpool which politicise the tragic death of Rhys Jones; further condemns the inaccurate and misleading statements in those leaflets which malign the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and distort the budget for the Merseyside Police Service; notes that the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has reported Liverpool Liberal Democrat councillors to the Standards Board for their increasing tendency to misrepresent important information; and in the name of the recently espoused new politics, calls upon the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam to discipline his councillors who act so unethically.","date":"2008-03-12","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35098","proposer":"10634","edm":"895A2","session":"2007-08","title":"90th Anniversary Of The Representation Of The People Act 1918","text":"leave out from `years' to end and add `believes that these splendid women wanted equal opportunities not special privileges; further believes that they would have thrown themselves under the King's horse to protest against positive discrimination and all-women shortlists; would have chained themselves to railings in protest against A Lists; and calls upon all women of character to repel such patronising interference.","date":"2008-02-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35099","proposer":"10646","edm":"895A3","session":"2007-08","title":"90th Anniversary Of The Representation Of The People Act 1918","text":"at end insert `especially the election in 1979 of the first woman Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.'.","date":"2008-02-07","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35084","proposer":"10133","edm":"895A1","session":"2007-08","title":"90th Anniversary Of The Representation Of The People Act 1918","text":"after `years', insert `and the first woman elected to the House, Constance Markiewicz, who as a Sinn Fein member did not take her seat'.","date":"2008-02-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35063","proposer":"12004","edm":"887","session":"2007-08","title":"Cross-Party Consensus In Scotland","text":"That this House commends the spirit of cross-party consensus that has developed in the new Scotland since the national and local elections of May 2007 and notes approvingly the comment attributed to a Glasgow Labour councillor who is quoted in the Glasgow Evening Times saying `God bless them' in relation to the SNP government and the much welcomed freezing of the council tax in Scotland.","date":"2008-02-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"35071","proposer":"10426","edm":"895","session":"2007-08","title":"90th Anniversary Of The Representation Of The People Act 1918","text":"That this House notes that 6th February 2008 is the 90th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 which granted women the right to vote and be elected to Parliament; recognises what women have achieved in politics since the Act; congratulates all women who have taken their seats as Members of the House of Commons over the past 90 years; but notes that more progress must be made to enhance the role of women in our Parliamentary democracy; and believes that the 90th anniversary of women's suffrage is an opportunity to promote further discussions about how to improve the role of women in politics in the UK and internationally.","date":"2008-02-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"34909","proposer":"10421","edm":"747","session":"2007-08","title":"Channel 4 Political Awards","text":"That this House welcomes the Channel 4 political awards and the recognition they give to those involved in the political process for their achievements; recognises the opportunity for the public to take part in these awards by voting for the most inspiring political personality of the last decade; is deeply concerned, however, that the voting system allows individuals to vote as many times as they want; believes this process leaves the award open to abuse by interest groups seeking to promote a particular nominee; is surprised, given recent controversies over telephone voting systems and competitions, that Channel 4 should use a system potentially open to such abuse; and urges this House to be prepared to treat the result with caution in light of the voting process.","date":"2008-01-22","status":"c"},{"topic":"Political parties","id":"34697","proposer":"10057","edm":"556","session":"2007-08","title":"London Assembly","text":"That this House notes that in May 2008 there is a possibility that at least two members of the British National Party (BNP) will gain a seat on the London Assembly, and that as things currently stand there is a grave risk of these two members of the BNP having a deciding vote on the Mayor's budget; believes that this is a potentially disastrous situation in which a future Mayor of any party could depend on BNP support to pass his budget; calls upon all politicians for all parties to denounce the BNP in London and to work together to combat anyone who seeks to play the race card in London politics; and further calls upon the Government to uses its powers to combat this very real threat.","date":"2007-12-11","status":"c"}]