In a recent judicial review, the government was found to have acted unlawfully in stopping the SFO investigation into corruption at BAe Systems. The government's response is not, it seems, to re-open the investigation but to draft a bill (the Constitutional Renewal Bill) giving themselves the power to stop such investigations in the future.
We need to oppose this bill in every way we can. At the very least write some letters! To the press, to your MP, to your friends etc etc. Governments MUST be held to account; corporations like BAe MUST be held to account. At present the law has a very minimal level of accountability for the rich and powerful but this bill will undermine such accountability still further.
For further details of this bill (from CAAT and the Corner House, the two charities that launched the judicial review):
http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/PRConsRenBill.pdf
For legal analysis:
http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/ConstRenBillOECD.pdf
Here's a draft letter that I just fired off to my MP (you can write a letter yourself by going here: http://www.writetothem.com/ ):
Dear ****,
I am writing regarding the proposed Constitutional Renewal Bill. I
believe it represents a corruption of the rule of law and a
capitulation to overweening power. It is a disgrace and must be
opposed.
The recent High Court verdict regarding the SFO investigation into BAe
Systems is a salutory reminder of the need for checks and balances on
government. Governments must be held to account, whether they like it
or not.
Yours sincerely,
For past coverage about BAe Systems:
Action against BAe: http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/26442
Analysis of corruption: http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/26008
More analysis: http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/26409
For further details of this bill (from CAAT and the Corner House, the two charities that launched the judicial review):
http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/PRConsRenBill.pdf For legal analysis:
http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/pdf/document/ConstRenBillOECD.pdf Here's a draft letter that I just fired off to my MP (you can write a letter yourself by going here:
http://www.writetothem.com/ ): Dear ****,
I am writing regarding the proposed Constitutional Renewal Bill. I
believe it represents a corruption of the rule of law and a
capitulation to overweening power. It is a disgrace and must be
opposed.
The recent High Court verdict regarding the SFO investigation into BAe
Systems is a salutory reminder of the need for checks and balances on
government. Governments must be held to account, whether they like it
or not.
Yours sincerely,
For past coverage about BAe Systems:
Action against BAe:
http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/26442 Analysis of corruption:
http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/26008 More analysis:
http://bristol.indymedia.org.uk/article/26409
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