´óÏó´«Ã½

I hope you get Jack Straw onto the show this evening so you can have a constructive discussion on the reforms. Rather than just having a 3/4 minute pop at the Government/Blair bashing that seems to be so popular on most ´óÏó´«Ã½ current affairs output. I was amazed that the 6 0'Clock had a 2 minute segment divoted to the White Paper, let's hope Newsnight offers some proper analysis.

Reportedly Sir Nicholas Stern revealed that it was Gordon Brown who appointed Labour MP Colin Challen to a high profile climate change taskforce –ah!ah! then am I wrong to assume that clears the path for Brown’s very close ally, Ed Balls the monomaniac guru, to stand unopposed for the new Morley and Outwood seat
Can't beat the old pals act!and seemingly patronage is still in fashion thus Brown for Blair isn't looking such a good swop ...

Your reporter on "disgruntled" motorists needs to get a grip! In what way is breaking the speed limit or evading teh congestion charge "law abiding" -- motorists who go about their law abiding business in a law abiding way have nothing whatsoever to fear from "surveillance". Does your reporter herself object to obeying motoring laws?

Clearly the "freedom to maim and kill" lobby has got to her!

As a cyclist knocked down by a distracted motorist last night (he was on his mobile phone) how responsible was the director of the interview with Roger Lawson in filming the interview whilst he was driving! I may be in the minority here, but surely a tv interview whilst driving must take focus off the roads somewhat!? Did you clear the roads first, or film in front of a blue screen?

With regard to speed cameras, perhaps Mr Paxman should try checking the facts, including the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s own research ! You don't have to be speeding to be caught and fined by a speed camera. The mobile cameras which are currently in use, and have been for some years, are unreliable and can give false readings. I know, I am currently fighting a case in which I KNOW I was not traveling at the speed indicated by the camera. They are being used to tax the motorist in Mr Blair's Police State.

patronage ?

...shirley
...you mean corruption ?

how many in parliment
arent tainted ?

makes me feel sick

Governments are very good at telling other countries to be democratic, at the same time making no attempt at giving Britain a proper democracy. We are at a serious time where we need major reform,because we have an elctoral system that allows concentrations of minority views to elect m.p's where as the vast majority may vote for a party/policy that does NOT get even one seat.Isnt it time the House of Lords became the elected British House and the Commons became the English House, giving Wales, Scotland their Houses.We need at least some form of written constitution, to up hold what is the bedrock of our society.Freedom of choice and of speach; equality; democracy;An absence of cruely and ethos of care of citizens, and Fairness.That would be a beginning. P.S.surely race and religion are two totally different things, it is dangerous to mix them up.Our genes may make up our race but our beliefs of how we and expect others to live has to be open to debate, as they may well not include those bedrocks of our society

The issue about law abiding motorists having nothing to fear is not as black and white as the report and discussion in tonight's program seemed to imply.
Speed detection equipment is not 100% reliable and leads to many false accusations of exceeding the speed limit. In particular, some detection equipment is not type approved for motorbikes and has been found under one test to record the speed of a stationary motorbike as 40 mph. This week's 'Motorcycle News' (MCN) reports an admission of flaws with the equipment from the owner of the company that produces it such that it can generate inaccuarate readings on all types of vehicle. The problem is that the Notice of Intention to Prosecute that motorists receive in the post presumes guilt and not innocence and if the accusation is false or dubious this is particuarly harsh. As a consequence, cameras are seen as ways to generate income, rather than to maintin the law particularly since the government removed the ring fence surrounding such income some years ago.
What is needed is an increase in the numbers of dedicated traffic police, who have almost disappeared off our roads as cameras have proliferated, especially as they can not only police speed limits but other offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol, or while using a moblie phone, or without a driving license, or without insurance, or without a valid tax disc and so on - none of which a speed camera can do.

The issue about law abiding motorists having nothing to fear is not as black and white as the report and discussion in tonight's program seemed to imply.
Speed detection equipment is not 100% reliable and leads to many false accusations of exceeding the speed limit. In particular, some detection equipment is not type approved for motorbikes and has been found under one test to record the speed of a stationary motorbike as 40 mph. This week's 'Motorcycle News' (MCN) reports an admission of flaws with the equipment from the owner of the company that produces it such that it can generate inaccuarate readings on all types of vehicle. The problem is that the Notice of Intention to Prosecute that motorists receive in the post presumes guilt and not innocence and if the accusation is false or dubious this is particuarly harsh. As a consequence, cameras are seen as ways to generate income, rather than to maintin the law particularly since the government removed the ring fence surrounding such income some years ago.
What is needed is an increase in the numbers of dedicated traffic police, who have almost disappeared off our roads as cameras have proliferated, especially as they can not only police speed limits but other offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol, or while using a moblie phone, or without a driving license, or without insurance, or without a valid tax disc and so on - none of which a speed camera can do.

The issue about law abiding motorists having nothing to fear is not as black and white as the report and discussion in tonight's program seemed to imply.
Speed detection equipment is not 100% reliable and leads to many false accusations of exceeding the speed limit. In particular, some detection equipment is not type approved for motorbikes and has been found under one test to record the speed of a stationary motorbike as 40 mph. This week's 'Motorcycle News' (MCN) reports an admission of flaws with the equipment from the owner of the company that produces it such that it can generate inaccuarate readings on all types of vehicle. The problem is that the Notice of Intention to Prosecute that motorists receive in the post presumes guilt and not innocence and if the accusation is false or dubious this is particuarly harsh. As a consequence, cameras are seen as ways to generate income, rather than to maintin the law particularly since the government removed the ring fence surrounding such income some years ago.
What is needed is an increase in the numbers of dedicated traffic police, who have almost disappeared off our roads as cameras have proliferated, especially as they can not only police speed limits but other offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol, or while using a moblie phone, or without a driving license, or without insurance, or without a valid tax disc and so on - none of which a speed camera can do.

The issue about law abiding motorists having nothing to fear is not as black and white as the report and discussion in tonight's program seemed to imply.
Speed detection equipment is not 100% reliable and leads to many false accusations of exceeding the speed limit. In particular, some detection equipment is not type approved for motorbikes and has been found under one test to record the speed of a stationary motorbike as 40 mph. This week's 'Motorcycle News' (MCN) reports an admission of flaws with the equipment from the owner of the company that produces it such that it can generate inaccuarate readings on all types of vehicle. The problem is that the Notice of Intention to Prosecute that motorists receive in the post presumes guilt and not innocence and if the accusation is false or dubious this is particuarly harsh. As a consequence, cameras are seen as ways to generate income, rather than to maintain the law particularly since the government removed the ring fence surrounding such income some years ago.
What is needed is an increase in the numbers of dedicated traffic police, who have almost disappeared off our roads as cameras have proliferated, especially as they can not only police speed limits but other offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol, or while using a moblie phone, or without a driving license, or without insurance, or without a valid tax disc and so on - none of which a speed camera can do.

This is not directly related to this issue,but I have just had a thought re the Budget announcement.The Budget was expected to take place next month but no date has yet been set.This raises the possibility in my mind that Gordon Brown might be seeking to delay the budget until wednesday may 2, the day before the crucial local and Scottish Parliament elections.Obviously this would be a budget full of bribes to the voters ,and would distract attention from Blairs 10th anniversary as PM on that day.It would also enable Brown to avoid campaigning in the elections as he could say he was to busy preparing the budget,and therefore ensure that Blair takes all the blame for the expected catastrophic results.It will also be a good launchpad for Browns leadership bid expected to begin the week after following Blairs resignation (Blair will never be able to resist the pressure to resign for more than a few days after the elecions) My moneys on a May 2 budget. Or am I way off beam with this idea?

This is not directly related to this issue,but I have just had a thought re the Budget announcement.The Budget was expected to take place next month but no date has yet been set.This raises the possibility in my mind that Gordon Brown might be seeking to delay the budget until wednesday may 2, the day before the crucial local and Scottish Parliament elections.Obviously this would be a budget full of bribes to the voters ,and would distract attention from Blairs 10th anniversary as PM on that day.It would also enable Brown to avoid campaigning in the elections as he could say he was to busy preparing the budget,and therefore ensure that Blair takes all the blame for the expected catastrophic results.It will also be a good launchpad for Browns leadership bid expected to begin the week after following Blairs resignation (Blair will never be able to resist the pressure to resign for more than a few days after the elecions) My moneys on a May 2 budget. Or am I way off beam with this idea?

So Paxo doesn't think the House of Lords is democratic eh? It may be full of appointees and grandees but would he really rather have another chamber full of Balls, Browns, Blairs and Millibands?

I know I wouldn't.

Re: Patronage

Without publically elected piers, how can this country begin to claim that it is democratic?

I am 28yrs old, intrested in politics, but have never voted at a general (or local) election due to this reason, and will not do so until the house is reformed. I know of multitudes of others (in the same age bracket as myself) who feel the same!

Maybe the current, shockingly low, percentage of electoral turnout in the general elections would be increased if the general public feel they have more influence on the country's ultimate outcomes?

Perhaps the second chamber could be elected using a system of proportional representation.

I wonder why there has been no coverage of this proposed tax (serious) on Newsnight?
Read on please:

There are only 13 days left to register your objection to the 'Pay as you go' road tax - which closes to petitions on the 20th February 2007.
The petition is on the 10 Downing St website but they didn't tell anybody about it. Therefore at this time only 671,354 people have signed it so far and 750,000 signatures are required to stop them introducing it.
Once you've given your details (you don't have to give your full address, just house number and postcode will do), they will send you an email with a link in it. Once you click on that link, you'll have signed the petition.
The government's proposal to introduce road pricing will mean you having to purchase a tracking device for your car and paying a monthly bill to use it.
The tracking device will cost about £200 and in a recent study by the ´óÏó´«Ã½, the lowest monthly bill was £28 for a rural florist and £194 for a delivery driver. A non working mother who used the car to take the kids to school paid £86 in one month.
On top of this massive increase in tax, you will be tracked. Somebody will know where you are at all times. They will also know how fast you have been going, so even if you accidentally creep over a speed limit in time you can probably expect a Notice of Intended Prosecution with your monthly bill.
If you care about our freedom and stopping the constant bashing of the car driver, please sign the petition on No 10's new website (link below) and pass this on to as many people as possible.
(If it doesn't work with a click, cut and paste it)