June 2007
Free Speech is Relative
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
It is virtually impossible to criticise Islam. Theo Van Gogh was murdered and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, his co-author on the video 'Submission', required 24/7 security and eventually left Holland for the USA, (where she still requires police protection).Her Dutch passport was withdrawn despite her being an MP.She had also openly admitted that she had lied so as to to escape from an arranged marriage and claim asylum.
The Dutch people were furious and protested; the government fell. The crime? The production of a video depicting battered Muslim women with words from the Koran written on their bodies in order to illustrate the high incidence of violence against women in the Dutch Muslim community.
Speedy voting
EU style
Gordon Brown may adopt European Union parliamentary voting procedures. He is said to have been impressed by the speed of voting in the Barlaymont. Lists of directives are drawn up by 'researchers' with the appropriate voting intention indicated.When the directive number is called the MEP must quickly put up either a right or left hand to indicate yes or no.Only when a vote is close does the electronic system come into play-three buttons for yes, no and abstain.In this way hundreds of laws can be passed in an hour or so.
Our man in Brussels overheard the Prime Minister chuckle:" By the time the next election comes I could have passed even more laws than Tony. No white papers, no green papers and certainly no Lords' oversight."
Gordon was also impressed by the EU method of allocating 90 seconds per MEP to talk on a subject of their choice.There is no discussion and no questions as the subject is pre-booked .The next speech will be about something completely different. Imagine a Westminster with no Prime Minister's question time, no criticism and no discussion. "Bliss", our man heard him say with a smile.
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