The upcoming Legal Aid bill will hurt victims of corporate abuses
contribution by Lisa Nandy MP
When the House of Commons returns next week, one of the many pieces of legislation that Members will be scrutinising will be the ‘Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill’. It has attracted controversy, quite literally from left, right and centre.
There has rightly been great criticism of the impact on the poorest people in society but one specific, overlooked area of concern is the impact the proposed legislation will have on holding British-based multi-nationals to account when they commit human rights and environmental abuses abroad.
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Abortion groups attack Mensch MP’s proposal
Abortion groups informed Liberal Conspiracy late yesterday night that they were deeply concerned by a new amendment by Conservative MP Louise Mensch on abortion counselling.
Tabled yesterday afternoon, Mensch’s amendment was proposed as a more acceptable alternative to Dorries & Field MPs amendments.
It would not bar Marie Stopes and BPAS from offering counselling to women seeking abortion, but seek to rule out any “faith-based” and “ideologically based” service providers.
But Mensch’s amendment was also dismissed by the former Libdem MP Evan Harris, who said it was a “valiant effort” but “fundamentally flawed”.
Abortion Rights’s Darinka Aleksic sent a statement to Liberal Conspiracy that said:
Women considering abortion already have timely access to impartial, medically accurate advice. The current abortion counselling system is robust and serves women well. Like the Dorries/Field proposals, this amendment is a solution in search of a problem. There is absolutely no evidence that abortion providers do anything other than act in the best interests of their patients.
It is also very unclear how it would be decided if an organisation is ‘ideologically-based’. Who will decide what that term means? I’m afraid this amendment further confuses what is becoming an extremely opaque argument from anti-choice MPs.
BPAS chief executive Ann Furedi echoed the sentiment:
This amendment is another case of a solution in search of a problem. As senior doctors have confirmed over the past week, there is no reason to change the way in which pregnancy counselling and abortion referral is offered. BPAS is a charity and the vast majority of our work is done on behalf of the NHS; our ‘ideological position’ is one that promotes women’s choice.
We are concerned that those who propose changes to abortion services should make their recommendations based on the facts and the evidence, not on imaginary problems.
Dr Evan Harris said the problem was more than simply of specific groups and took issue with Mensch recommending the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy as the benchmark.
He said out that anyone can join BACP if they pay a fee, which did not indicate quality assurance for women seeking counselling.
In comments posted on Liberal Conspiracy yesterday, he said:
A woman can go to anyone she likes to talk about an unplanned pregnancy. Free speech, free association etc means we can not (and should not want to) stop ideological/faith based advisors peddling their myths & proselytising even though their victims are vulnerable. However we should insist on honesty and transparency of advertising such “services” and it should be unlawful to hide or disguises one’s directional approach or that they will never recommend abortion. That would be a worthwhile amendment instead!
…
The NHS should refer and signpost patients only to reliable services who use the RCOG guidelines. Anything else is unethical.
Abortion groups are instead supporting an amendment by the Libdem MP Julian Huppert – which was also tabled yesterday.
It reads:
All organisations offering information or advice in relation to unplanned pregnancy choices must follow current evidence-based guidance produced by a professional medical organisation specified by the secretary of state.
Women’s groups and abortion groups will be urging MPs from all parties to support this amendment instead.
Abortion Rights will also hold a press conference on Tuesday 6th September, to provide comment and information on abortion counselling amendments to the NHS bill.
Time: 1.00pm, Tuesday 6th September
Location: Room B, 1 Parliament Street, Westminster
Speakers will include:
Ann Furedi, Chief Executive, BPAS
Dr Evan Harris, BMA Ethics Cttee, former Liberal Democrat MP
Sarah Veale, Head of Equality and Employment, TUC
Katy Clark MP (Labour)
(further speakers to be confirmed)
Over 6000 people have contacted their MPs through the Abortion Rights website, urging them to vote against the counselling proposals.
EXCL: Louise Mensch’s abortion amendments
The Conservative MP Louise Mensch has today also tabled abortion-related amendments to the NHS bill.
The amendments may be seen by the Department of Health and the government as a face-saving way to reject Nadine Dorries & Frank Field’s proposals, while pretending the current system of counselling was not working for women.
This morning I revealed that health minister Anne Milton had referred to BPAS as a “reputable organisation”, under-cutting Nadine Dorries’ central argument against it.
Louise Mensch forwarded the amendments she tabled:
Page 6, line 8 [Clause 10], at end insert-
‘(c) after paragraph (f) insert a new paragraph as follows-
‘(g) timely counselling services for women requesting termination of pregnancy, to include
(i) the option of counselling by a neutral organisation, with the NHS considered the preferred provider;
(ii) the additional choice of referral to any British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy [BACP] registered service
To the extent that the clinical commissioning group considers they will choose to use them.’.
Page 6 line 8 [Clause 10], at end insert-
‘(2A) After subsection (1) insert a new subsection as follows—
“(1A) In this section, an organisation is neutral where it is neither faith-based nor ideologically based and is not a private body which itself provides for the termination of pregnancies Timely refers to a timeframe set by the commissioning authority, but which shall not unduly delay a woman’s decision.’
In effect, it would allow organisation such as Marie Stopes and BPAS to continue providing advice, while trying to widen the field to include anyone accredited by the BACP.
But there are likely to be objections to calls for the field to be extended so widely.
Mensch said on Twitter she wanted to find a way to exclude explicitly agenda-driven religious organisations such as LIFE.
She also said in her email:
My hope is to offer independent advice in addition to all currently existing services & abortion rights. And to add language of a timeframe as well in order that there be no delay to a woman’s decision.
I was warned that language on timing made the amendment less likely to be selected for debate but I would rather get it closer to what I want than eviscerate it just to get selected. My disappointment is that the labeling language on faith/ideological groups I intended was rejected as being too specific, but I will bring that up in debate should my amendment be selected.
She also said her amendment pushed for the mandating of an option of NHS independent counselling as well as, not instead of, choice of BPAS & Marie Stopes.
I’m waiting for official reaction from groups such as BPAS, Abortion Rights and Education for Choice.
Seven reasons why the banks should be allowed to collapse
contribution by Frances Coppola
I said yesterday that banks should be allowed to collapse. Planning for and managing the inevitable demise of an outmoded form of banking has to be the best way forward.
Why do I say it is outmoded? Consider these seven reasons:
1. The lifeblood of our economy is payments. But there is no particular reason why payments should be made only via banks.
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Polly Toynbee smacks down Guido Fawkes
Yesterday the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee hosted an online debate about class on the Comment is free site.
Naturally, blogger Guido Fawkes decided to turn up and troll the discussion.
Polly Toynbee then comes back with this excellent smack-down. P Staines (aka Guido Fawkes) doesn’t come back.
GuidoF
There are of course many ways to class humans – richer and poorer – but also nicer and nastier. You have devoted your life to poison and malevolence.You are always hammering on about my earnings – as if they were in any way exceptional for someone in my profession – and adding in bizarre figures of your own plucked out of the air. Do you hammer on about Littlejohn’s or Paul Dacres? Unlike them, I have frequently been open about my earnings, as you know – about £110,000. I advocate open tax returns, as in Finland, which you probably wouldn’t support.
I write often that I think the distribution of rewards unjust – yes, including my own.
“Champagne socialist” is your charge against those on the centre left with professional salaries. I presume you mean we are class traitors for not being Tories to protect what we have? Odd idea that people must always be selfish and vote with their wallet. Or you say we should be Ghandi-like saints and give everything away before we can advocate being taxed more. The point about tax is that’s it’s collective – it’s an “I will if you will” deal. I see no hypocrisy in any of this – but no doubt you will go on spreading ad hominem empty spite – instead of engaging fairly with the substance of the argument.
Read my book Hard Work – all about crossing the class line. I have never, ever pretended to be anything other than what I am, from a family of middle class academics and writers, and lucky,
Staines got intellectually pulverised.
I like the point about the tag ‘champagne socialists’ essentially being a charge of class betrayal. I’d never thought of it like that but it makes perfect sense.
EXCL: Health minister admits BPAS a “reputable org”
The health minister Anne Milton has admitted in a letter to other Conservative MPs that the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) was a “reputable organisation” whose clinics are approved by the Dept of Health to provide an abortion service.
It confirms briefings from Downing Street that the abortion amendments by Nadine Dorries and Frank Field MPs will get no support from the government.
Both have tried to discredit BPAS counselling services in media interviews. Nadine Dorries recently claimed BPAS was “utterly reprehensible and money grabbing”.
Milton’s assertion that they are a “reputable organisation” undercuts Dorries’ argument once and for all.
It also undermines claims by the Department of Health that BPAS were not providing an adequate service to women.
Anne Milton also says she did not think it was necessary to set out the requirement for independent counselling (over abortions) in primary legislation.
Opposition to the amendments now runs across all parties. Several Conservative MPs have come out against them in letters to constituents.
The letter by Milton was sent to Conservative MP Margot James, who is also opposed to the amendments.
James tweeted a few nights ago:
Good for Newsnight exposing Care Confidential’s approach to so called independent counselling for women considering abortion
It is now more likely than not that the abortion amendments will be defeated in Parliament.
The letter below was leaked to Liberal Conspiracy by a reader.
LC exclusive: Anne Milton Letter
Why is the government so secretive about ‘free schools’?
contribution by Jamie Thunder
The start of the academic year this week sees the opening of 24 new free schools, a controversial idea pushed through by education secretary Michael Gove.
Under the minister’s plans individuals, charities, companies, or any other ‘suitable sponsor’ can set up a school and receive government funding without being accountable to local authorities. And, until next week when they open, they are not accountable to the public either.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, the public and the media are allowed to request information from any government body, but free schools, it seems do not become public bodies until they open next week.
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Private Eye pokes fun at Toby Young over Starkey
Remember Telegraph blogger / author Toby Young’s pitiful attempts at defending David Starkey’s comments on Newsnight after the riots?
If you don’t, then count yourself lucky – I don’t want to inflict torture by pointing it out to you.
This week’s Private eye has this wonderful cartoon poking fun at Toby Young over his blog post.
The ‘Caution:’ bit in particular is a delight.
Surely this could be turned into a regular series?
Why the banks should be allowed to fail (pt 1)
contribution by Frances Coppola
It seems to me that all the activity of the last three years by banks, governments and supra-national organisations such as the IMF has been aimed at one thing only – preventing the collapse of the international financial system.
To prevent that collapse governments have wrecked their economies and sacrificed the future of an entire generation.
Yet as I write, the financial system seems to be in no better shape than it was three years ago. In fact if anything it is worse.
continue reading… »
How local democracy is increasingly policed by private security
In March, local London newspaper Ham & High reported that the Tory-run Barnet Council were paying a private security company to secretly film residents at open meetings.
The farcical “MetPro Rapid Response Ltd.”, which described itself as an “alternative to 999″, were paid almost £1m over two-and-a-quarter years before they went bust this year.
continue reading… »
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» Revealed: govt to restrict abortion counselling despite Nadine Dorries vote
» Would raising the tax threshold actually help the poorest?
» To win London, Ken Livingstone has to step outside his comfort zone
» This trade agreement with India will destroy thousands of lives
» UK debt hasn’t hit £1 trillion – mostly because of QE
» The benefits of being a “burden” on society
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» Violence in the office
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» The world is entering the third phase of the crisis, warns ILO
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