Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs

Subject: RE: Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 11 Jun 03 - 01:52 AM

I will be coming up on Monday and I hope that many of us will. The more people and the more colourful those people are, assembling in Whitehall - the more chance of the photos appearing in the media.

Who else will be comming?

Subject: RE: Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 16 Jun 03 - 02:10 PM

See the MU's press release for details of the presentation.

http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/articles/latest_news.shtml

Subject: RE: Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 16 Jun 03 - 03:44 PM

The following from Hamish Birchall

Please circulate

Today's petition presentation to 10 Downing Street went well, but the press stayed away this time, in spite of our best efforts to engage their interest. The lack of a celebrity performer may have been a factor. There is no question, however, that the 110,000 signatures, and the coalition of performers' organisations and the music industry backing the MU campaign, has made a big impact behind the scenes with the Department for Culture, MPs and Peers.

Pressure on the Government is also being maintained by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR). Their latest Report, published on 13 June, is scathing. The exemption for places of public religious worship remains a potential discrimination (against people doing the same thing in premises used for secular purposes), but the Report also concludes that the Bill might

'...leave a patchwork of different licensing requirements without a coherent rationale, calling in question the existence of a pressing social need for the restriction on freedom of expression through a licensing regime for public entertainment, and so undermining the Government's claim that such a licensing regime is a justifiable interference with the right to freedom of expression under ECHR Article 10.2'.
[JCHR, 'Scrutiny of Bills: Further Progress Report, Twelfth Report of Session 2002-03, HL Paper 119, HC 765, p17, para 3.4]

This is strong stuff, and it will be raised by MPs in this evening's Commons debate of the Bill (although it is unlikely that anything other than Government amendments will be accepted).

However, the petition and the JCHR Report has been on the agenda earlier today during behind the scenes discussions between Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and key Opposition Peers.

The discussions are a sign that the Government recognises they are in difficulty. This could be good news, but I do not want to raise hopes prematurely. A last round of letters to Peers may yet be required.

When the Bill goes back to the Lords on Thursday (19th), Opposition Peers could delay the Bill by refusing to accept Commons changes to the first round of House of Lords amendments - unless the Government can agree some compromise behind the scenes.

What further letters to Peers might say depends to a great extend this evening's debate in the Commons. Even though the Government should have no difficulty getting the Bill through in the Commons tonight, Ministers may give clues as to the nature of any further concession being considered. As soon as I have had a chance to read the Hansard record tomorrow I will circulate another note.

Subject: RE: Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 01:47 PM

The following from Graham Dixon

As recieved from No 10

Dear Mr Dixon

Your e-petition has been forwarded for reply. The response will be posted on the following page in due course:

http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page297.asp

Deleting a further 17 entries as listed below brought the total to 83440.

Yours sincerely

No10 Webteam p

>snip<

Subject: RE: Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs
From: BanjoRay
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 05:46 AM

Looking at the list of on line petitions, ours had immensely the largest number of signatures - the next biggest, the No To War In Iraq petition had less than 15000. You'd think they'd take a hint!
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Sign a E Petition to 10 Downing St PELs
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 01:47 PM

The follwing from Graham Dixon.

Dear Mr Dixon


A response to your e-petition has been published. View the response here:


http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page297.asp