The Government has proposed a new piece of legislation to amend the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, which would bypass the necessary requirements to amend them.
This is a controversial move as it’s unusual to propose a bill to amend the Orders rather than a direct amendment to the Standing Orders, which is the more common Parliamentary procedure.
The Standing Orders are the permanent, written rules that regulate the way Members of Parliament conduct public business within the House of Commons, where they regulate the procedural, administrative, and behavioural operations of the House. They govern everything from how laws are passed, to the conduct of MPs in the Chamber.
Currently, any amendments to the Standing Orders require a 2/3rd majority in the House, this rule being a safeguard to avoid any sitting government to have overarching authority to enforce any dangerous or unlawful reforms to the structure and operations of the House.
The Commons Leader, kaizuuls, presented the Government’s plan. This followed a failed attempt earlier this term to fulfil a King’s Speech pledge, which aimed to replace Prime Minister’s Questions with a more open Ministers’ Questions session. However, it failed to pass as the Government couldn’t secure the necessary two-thirds majority to amend the House’s Standing Orders.
Despite the Commons Leader publicly stating that “to achieve our mandated policy goals this term changes in the standing orders must occur” all opposing parties have voiced their opposition to the proposal. He later called the Opposition “ignorant” and accused them of “slowing down progress in our country”.
Nationals Leader, Kingmaster_I, strongly disagreed with the Commons Leader’s comments, stating that “the government is not only misinforming the public but their ministers as well”.
Further supporting his colleague, the Foreign Secretary AlfieAlFayeed reiterated that “parliamentary reforms occur to ensure the Government is held accountable and successful in its endeavours”.
Independent candidate and former Prime Minister DeanRHeathcote watched the lengthy debates on the parliamentary feed with “serious concerns” about the Government’s proposed legislation. He called the decision “a worrying precedent” and added that “Parliament had taken a step forward; this Government now risks taking two steps back”.
Despite the heavy debates in the public parliamentary feeds, the Government’s legislation is still set to be on the agenda at Saturday’s legislative session.