Members back tougher immigration and slam two-tier policing

Refnation members sent a clear message on immigration and justice yesterday, backing tougher laws while overwhelmingly agreeing that policing in the UK operates on two tiers.

The standout result came on Should the UK have tougher immigration laws? Members voted yes by roughly four in five, though the sharpest voices on the floor warned that scapegoating must stop and framed the case as one for proper enforcement rather than simply more legislation. Closely related was Does the UK have two-tier policing? which passed by more than two to one, with the winning side arguing that unequal treatment is baked into official guidance and visible in major cases.

The verdicts

Should the law require MPs to hold regular surgeries in their constituencies? saw the heaviest yes of the day, with nine in ten members insisting that an MP’s first duty is to their constituents. On welfare, Should the proposal to block benefit claimants from purchasing cigarettes and alcohol be implemented? was rejected after members split almost down the middle; the strongest no argument warned this was no way to govern anyone’s private life.

Brexit still rankles. Was Brexit sabotaged by successive UK governments? passed at roughly two in three, despite the most respected no voice asking how anyone could sabotage something so vaguely defined. Members also said yes to Should the UK make British Summer Time (BST) permanent and end clock changes? by a narrow majority, though the best-rated argument in the room actually favoured permanent GMT.

Environment and housing delivered two no votes. Should the UK ban disposable plastic bottles? fell at 57 per cent against, as the deposit-return scheme’s promise to drive plastic from the system carried more weight than calls to outlaw bottles outright. Should the UK build enough social rented homes before allowing more private housebuilding? was similarly rejected, with members objecting to the question’s forced choice and arguing the two are not mutually exclusive.

Voting continues today on a fresh ballot.

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