Relaunch

My apologies that Washminster has not been able to appear very much during April.

Washminster will be re-launched on May 1st.

David Morgan

Secret Sessions

Footage from the House of Representatives - while discussing going into secret session.

PSA in Swansea

While Westminster continues to sit, I am in South Wales - just a few miles from the homes of my ancestors. The Political Studies Association is holding its annual conference in Swansea. Details of the Conference can be found at http://www.psa.ac.uk/2008/default.htm. There are over 150 panels, comprising over 500 individual papers spread across seven multiple panels sessions. A busy - but interesting - time!

The EU (Amendment) Bill

After completing its passage in the House of Commons the EU (Amendment) Bill arrived in the House of Lords on 12th March. Today it has its Second Reading in the House of Lords. A number of well known Eurosceptics have seats in the upper chamber. There are two UKIP Peers Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Lord Willoughby de Broke. From the other end of the political spectrum - but also a strong opponent of Europe is Lord Stoddart of Swindon. The Tory benches also include many Eurosceptics.

More details of the bill - and relevant documents - can be found at http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/europeanunionamendment.html

Sarkozy on the British Parliament

From President Sarkozy's speech at Westminster last week -

"It is indeed here, within these walls, that modern political life was born. Without this Parliament, would parliamentary democracy have ever existed in the world? Hasn't this parliamentary practice, begun in this place, become the best guarantee against tyranny?

The history of this institution today influences most contemporary political regimes. This Parliament has become what it is through the fight for the protection of essential individual freedoms and the principle of the consent to taxation.

These two fundamental conquests, which this Parliament was the first in the world to achieve, are still today the cornerstones of all our democracies. It is here that parliamentarians have gradually developed what is a party, an electoral programme and finally a majority.

It is through these institutions that the United Kingdom's greatness has emerged. And I am so honoured to address you precisely because the political heart of the United Kingdom is beating under this roof."