The Liberal Democrat Peer, Lord Tyler, has introduced a Private Members Bill into the House of Lords, which, amongst other things, seeks to stir up the moribund Government's promise (made by Gordon Brown in 2007) to repeal the controversial Designated Area around Parliament Square restrictions of freedom of assembly and speech, and peaceful protest, inflicted on us via sections 132 to 138 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005,
The wording of the first section is identical to the Government's own Draft Bill.
Demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament
1 Repeal of sections 132 to 138 of Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
(1) Omit sections 132 to 138 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15) (which regulate demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament).
(2) In the Table in section 175(3) of that Act (transitional provision relating to offences), omit the entries relating to section 136.
(3) In paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 2 to the Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993 (c. 40) (which is about consents for the operation of loudspeakers), omit "or of section 137(1) of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005".
(4) Omit paragraph 64 of Schedule 6 to the Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27)
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Lord Tyler explains in this Lords of the Blog article: Wake up call
In tune with so much of what has been happening in London this week, I attempted on Tuesday to arouse some politicians from their complacency about the dire reputation of Parliament.
My Constitutional Renewal Bill, which received its First Reading then, seeks to put this whole issue back on the agenda. You may recall that, in his very first statement as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown set out proposals to "agree a new British constitutional settlement that entrusts more power to Parliament and the British people." Those brave intentions have long since been diluted, through a series of documents and even a draft Bill, but the need to revive them now is greater than ever. In the midst of this economic crisis, with the reputation of Parliament and politicians at a very low ebb, people may well feel completely disillusioned, disconnected and dangerously alienated. That is how extremist groups can flourish.