What's wrong with parliamentary democracy?

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page 5 of the scan

Thursday Labour MPs did something useful in the House of Commons.

Through a 'mass picket' they prevented the entry 'Black Calcu Koo. forcine environment minister Michael Heseltine porary, on his proposed 30 least centrise CouncH ouse res A smal ori but one that will b welcomed by working peo The Tories have flown IntO Norman St. John Stevas, Tory leader of shid His ascion as nothing House Commons, res. inlan allack parliamentary democracy itself'.

Heseltine agreed: 'The menacing abuse of Dallallellar y Droccaure nave ever seen. ne cecared It is appropriate that That'parliamentary democracy with the ancient rituals of Black Rod.

une ories are worriedi They know they cannot get working class policies cept on the grounds of their varnamenlan With the economy in such a Manate mess, parliamentary become even more ImporEven the 'democratic' part parliamentary democracy is being gressively Council house rents raised by ministerial decree «Volca example parliament's rubber-stamp rol Most decisions are taken.

outside MPs. Manv decisions affec any control ung une lives or millons people are taken the board rooms pretence os without parliamentary control.

Many decisions are made benina ine backs oi the Cabinet, never mind MPs. A small committee of ministers Callaghan took the decisior aluc to replace Polaris with Trident, despite the collosal expense involved.

Most deciHuDurlalil sions are laken by totally unelected civil servants.

Socialists have always he claims of parliamentary . 'Freedom of the Dress tormany exists, but the ability to exercise it effectively depends on having enough money to own daily paper or blass сотрапу.

"une person, one vote' formal control over those we elect equalities and between those Will own nolning out ten dolluv to work aro those woo own industry means that the majority of say ove decisionMPs are not recallable so there is no way of keeping them to their electoral I pro The Labour government was elected on ine vasis ul making an Itreversible shift in wealth and power' yet it jumped to the tune of the International Monetary rune a cor ignored Labour Party con ference decisions.

The decisions on the constitution at the Labour ralLy conference strike a blow at this situanon Mandatory reselection MPs democratic control.

Lilt parliamentary democracy

page 6 of the scan

North Islington CLP ple