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The Problem with Parliament
anthony mederick • 29 July 2021
The Problem with Parliament
What did Dawn Butler do and why
Labour MP Dawn Butler was ejected from the House of Commons on Friday after calling out some of the many lies Boris Johnson has told the public. She commented that the prime minister had “lied to the house and the country over and over again” including when he had told the house that the Covid vaccination programme had “severed” the link between infections and serious illness or death. Butler called this a “dangerous” lie and she said she was “disappointed” that the prime minister had not come to the house to correct the record.
She later tweeted “I get in more trouble for calling out lies than Johnson does for telling lies” with regard to the punishment she had been dealt and commented that “it cannot be one rule for them, and one rule for us”.
“Poor people in this country have paid with their lives because the prime minister spent the last 18 months misleading this house and the country.”
Labour leader Kier Starmer agreed with Butler’s actions saying that it was the correct thing to do calling Boris Johnson the “master of untruth and half-truths”. Nevertheless, he also felt that the stand-in deputy speaker Judith Cummins was right to suspend Butler for the day as the Speaker has to obey parliamentary procedure and this is what it demands. Many have said that these rules are archaic and in need of change.
This includes former Speaker of the House John Bercow who criticised the system for protecting an MP who chooses to lie to the country and punishing any member of parliament “with the guts to tell the truth”. He has since argued for a change to the Commons rules that bar MPs from calling each other liars, arguing that these rules were meant for a time when MPs “sought conscientiously to tell the truth and would quickly apologise and correct the record if they inadvertently misled the house”, something this current government refuses to do.
This rule is among a variety of strange regulations still in place in the House of Commons. For example, MPs must refer to each other as the “honourable member”, applause is forbidden and members cannot call each other a coward, hypocrite, guttersnipe or pipsqueak and many other strange names from a bygone era. Archaic rules like these are a consequence of our long unchanged democracy. We still have an entirely unelected second chamber of Parliament, a rarity around the world, many of whose members inherited their position in the House of Lords. Furthermore, membership of this House is often doled out in return for political favours. This is not surprising in a country that still has an unelected head of state. Even the democratically elected House of Commons has its own issues. The ‘first past the post’ system used to allocate seats, continuously leads to a disproportionate number of Labour and Conservative MPs, allowing the Conservative party to make up 56% of the house despite getting only 43% of the nation’s votes. Results like these are why many in British politics are seeking proportional representation to decide how our elections are won.
Dawn Butler’s actions highlight the urgent need for reform in British democracy.
It is vital that politicians are able to call each other out on any lies and correct the record for the public. The fact that the Labour MP was punished for this only accentuates the problem and reveals another flaw in our problematic democracy. The government has relied on being able to lie to and mislead the public on a regular basis, without facing any consequences, throughout this pandemic and as a result, we have had one of the worst pandemic responses in the world.
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Don’t miss the chance to be part of this extraordinary journey. Grab your tickets now and immerse yourself in to “Rush: A Joyous Jamaican Journey” at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre on October 14th.
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Young DJ Hypester’s Dream Come True: From Sign Holder to Festival Headliner. A 12-year-old boy, Harry Frost, hailing from Woolton Hill, recently lived out a remarkable dream when he transformed from a sign holder into a festival headliner. Harry, who has been passionately DJing for five years under the moniker DJ Hypester, graced the stage with his drum and bass set at CarFest, in Overton, Hampshire, on a memorable Sunday night. Accompanied by his supportive parents, Harry’s family brought along a USB stick containing some of his music, just in case the opportunity to perform presented itself. This golden chance materialized when festival organizers noticed the placard Harry held aloft, bearing the simple but heartfelt message, “Let me DJ.” Even prominent figures in the UK’s drum and bass scene, Chase and Status, took notice of Harry’s talent. They hailed him as a “legend in the making” after catching glimpses of his performance on social media. The duo went further, extending their well wishes for a promising DJ career ahead. Speaking to the BBC, Harry revealed, “I was pretty nervous, but I was saying to myself ‘nerves are good,’ because that’s what gives me the adrenaline rush, and I like the adrenaline on stage.” It’s clear that Harry thrives in the spotlight. Remarkably, Harry faces unique challenges as he lives with autism and ADHD. His mother, Barbra, views these conditions as assets rather than hindrances to his musical prowess, noting that they contribute to his “fantastic memory.” Notably, Harry’s connection to CarFest runs deep, having attended the festival since he was a mere two years old. His experience came full circle when he had the opportunity to meet CarFest founder and former Radio 1 DJ, Chris Evans. Looking ahead, Harry aspires to return to the festival next year and showcase his talents with an even more extended set. The young DJ’s journey from holding a sign to headlining a festival stage is not only an inspiring testament to his dedication but also a heartwarming example of the power of dreams coming true. Harry Frost, DJ Hypester, is undoubtedly a name to watch as he continues his meteoric rise in the music world.
Born in London in 1999 to Angolan refugees who fled civil war, Joshua, known as Blanco, has metamorphosed from a prominent subcultural figure into a transformative musical artist. His journey, marked by resilience and introspection, reflects the evolution of UK drill music and the challenges it faces. Blanco’s roots trace back to South London, settling in Kennington after moving around. Schooled near the Oval cricket ground, his life took an unexpected turn with imprisonment. Behind bars, the loss of loved ones, including his father, ignited profound self-discovery. The funeral of his father, where he was cuffed to a prison officer, underscored the significance of family and heritage, revealing the stark contrast between his life and his parents’ refugee struggles. Blanco says, “I didn’t know my parents were refugees until I was grown, One day my dad just started telling us stories about his life. I was in shock, because his life was so different to mine. It was so much harder. Prison was a mistake. I didn’t want to go back.”. Inspired by these revelations, Blanco distanced himself from the gritty UK drill scene, which had defined his artistry. The murder of a fellow Harlem Spartans member deepened his introspection. The group, marked by youthful energy, incorporated homegrown beats fusing sub-bass from garage and grime’s patois-laden language. This departure from US drill’s aggression resonated widely. Yet, as drill gained notoriety, it attracted media scrutiny and police intervention. The Met’s requests led to the removal of videos deemed provocative. In 2020 alone, YouTube, complying with the London Metropolitan Police’s appeals, removed 319 drill music videos. This, coupled with drill’s global growth, set the stage for change. Blanco’s narrative is a microcosm of drill’s evolution, navigating societal challenges while reshaping its identity. As UK drill continues its transformation, artists like Blanco drive a nuanced exploration of the crossroads between culture, art, and adversity.
