Saturday 9 March 2013

Saturday Six 29 - Secret Courts and Lib Dem Conference

I'm preparing this on Friday morning, en-route to Brighton for Lib Dem Spring Conference. One issue dominates this week - the votes in the Commons on Secret Courts (or Closed Material Procedures).

Like most people travelling to conference, I consider Secret Courts top be an affront to Liberalism and Natural Justice. But I've written enough on the subject over the past few weeks and months for the regular reader to know my views, so here's a selection of other blogs, and consideration of where we go from he.

Caron provided some initial reaction from Monday night's votes on Lib Dem Voice - the comments section is quite entertaining (although not particularly constructive...)

The Liberator is right in identifying Secret Courts as being different to many of the proceeding issues in which Lib Dem parliamentarians have defied Party policy. I think this may have ramifications for years to come - particularly post 2015. Tim Farron's decision to vote against the Whip may well have increased his chances of securing the leadership should he decide to stand...

On A View From Ham Common, Richard Morris identifies some of the questions the issue raises. Including "Is There Much Hope?"

Mark Thompson wonders whether it's worth attending Lib Dem Conference at all...

...whilst a more drastic response is suggested by George Potter - and I'm not sure it's all that tongue in cheek either...

It isn't all about Secret Courts though - Caron Lindsay on Lib Dem Voice seeks to put Conference in a wider perspective.

And that's it for another week!

Andrew

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