So Much for the Commons

John Reid, the SoS who's not fit for purpose, today announced to the House of Commons that the Home Office would be split into two.  Responsibility for the Probation Service, prisons and prevention of re-offending will be taken over by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which will subsequently be re-named the Ministry of Justice.

My annoyance is not with the actual separation of this department, rather in the manner the news was broadcast.  The Home Office is, arguably, the most important department of state after the Treasury.  Its decisions impact greatly on the lives of ordinary people - in all sorts of ways.  Given the magnitude of the Office, coupled with the importance of its dichotomy, wouldn't it have been more appropriate to have a full debate on the floor of the House of Commons?  Instead we have an announcement on the last Thursday of the Parliamentary session.

This episode once again shows the contempt Labour has for the concept of Executive accountability.  This is not some third-rate office we're talking about.  It should have been opened up to full scrutiny and a vote then taken.  If the vote was for separation, so be it.  MPs are not cannon fodder to be whipped into line on crucial votes; they are elected to debate legislation and proposition.  What's next in this demonstration of contempt?  Doing away with elections altogether?

Comments

[The Cynical Libertarian]

Ministry of Justice? Shouldn't that be Ministry of Love (Miniluv, in Newspeak)? o_0

[Peter]

Apparently they're rushing this through before Gordon takes over because he's dead against the idea. So much for democracy.

Probably a good idea in principle, but sure as shooting they'll make a total mess of it.