The House of Lords, aware of its undemocratic and unaccountable position, rarely takes the Commoners to the wire, even when it knows them to be wrong. Thus in the Thatcher years a succession of ill-thought-out Bills was passed by both Houses – on dangerous dogs, the poll tax and war criminals, for example – which proper parliamentary scrutiny might have prevented from becoming law. Truly, under the Tories, we had an “elective dictatorship”.
It is increasingly clear that Labour has fallen into Tory ways: it treats the Commons as a minor irritant, to be bypassed when possible or browbeaten into submission. Ministers have consistently made important policy statements to press conferences, rather than in the chamber, and hastily drafted Bills are forced through without proper debate.With his hurried proposals for tackling football hooliganism, the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, has taken things to a new height A draft Bill was published on Friday Mr Straw wants it on the statute book within weeks.

The Bill would give new powers to the police, enabling them to act as judge and jury against unconvicted citizens whom they suspect of planning violence abroad. Drunkenness, chanting, even sporting unpleasant tattoos may soon be grounds for withholding your right to travel abroad. It is a measure that curbs the civil liberties of the British citizen, and as such requires the most detailed scrutiny. But where will it get that scrutiny? On the floor of the Commons? Hardly. The Government will surely guillotine the Bill through all its stages at lightning speed.

In standing committee? Not if it is packed – as they usually are – with ministerial wannabes and second-raters catching up on their constituency mail. In the Lords? They will, as ever, defer to the elected House in the end.This Bill was conceived in the aftermath of the grotesque scenes of English fans on the rampage at Charleroi, and was an integral part of Britain’s attempt to persuade Fifa that we were worthy to hold the 2006 World Cup Germany won the competition anyway. Our World Cup loss gives the Home Secretary the time he should have taken to consult properly before introducing such a draft Bill.. Ah, Sunday – day of rest for good Christians everywhere. Not for the good Christians of Portadown, Northern Ireland, it isn’t. Today the yearly ritual of violence, abuse and intimidation takes place at Drumcree, and will doubtless spark copycat outbreaks across the province. As ever, the violence will be preceded by a special Church of Ireland service where sectarian flags will be paraded, sashes and emblems worn.

Perhaps the minister will shake hands with the Orangemen and loyalists as they leave the church to make their merry way towards the Garvaghy Road to the sound of fife and drum. Then, as the parade is blocked and the inevitable violence breaks out, the Church of Ireland will deliver its ritual condemnation – and claim that the violence has nothing to do with them

Ah, Sunday – day of rest for good Christians everywhere. Not for the good Christians of Portadown, Northern Ireland, it isn’t. Today the yearly ritual of violence, abuse and intimidation takes place at Drumcree, and will doubtless spark copycat outbreaks across the province. As ever, the violence will be preceded by a special Church of Ireland service where sectarian flags will be paraded, sashes and emblems worn. Perhaps the minister will shake hands with the Orangemen and loyalists as they leave the church to make their merry way towards the Garvaghy Road to the sound of fife and drum.