Print magazine - Parliamentary Brief

Print magazine: March 2009

Wanted: President Omar al-Bashir

Roderick Crawford: “On 4 March 2009 an arrest warrant was issued for the serving president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, on five counts of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes. It is a world first. The court was set-up in the face of US hostility; the arrest warrant was issued despite UK and French reservations, and commentators have been divided in their responses.” » more
Green shoots in the international system?

Gordon Brown’s speech in Boston last year appealed for a more positive US attitude towards multilateral approaches to world problems. The new president seems prepared to oblige. Is it possible that a better world could emerge out of the disastrous wars in the Middle East and the global economic crisis, asks Paul Taylor
A green world that could pay for itself

Despite the global credit crunch, the international community remains firmly focussed on UN climate change negotiations, due to culminate in a summit in Copenhagen at the end of the year. Parliamentary Brief talked to Yvo de Boer, head of the UN body charged with conducting the negotiations, to find out what is needed for a deal
Coming back to Reagan's vision of a world without nuclear weapons

The nuclear disarmament agenda has been with us for 15 years. New interest from major global players means it is an idea whose time has come, says Nick Ritchie — and the UK is well placed to take the lead
Slow but sure is the best hope for Gaza

Much more is needed for a reconstructed Gaza than the pledges of Sharm el-Sheikh, say Sultan Barakat and Steven Zyck. Local needs and timescales must be respected if there is to be change for good in the region,
The signpost for our age

If we want to offer real hope to a world struggling to find a new direction, Easter is a signpost we shouldn’t ignore. The resurrection of Jesus speaks of God’s intent to transform this world, and gives real meaning to our work for justice and beauty, says Tom Wright
Keep your hands off the markets, Mr Miliband

UK energy policy must urgently tackle fuel poverty, supply security and climate change. Michael Pollitt argues that it is only by harnessing the power of liberalised energy markets that the government can meet these challenges

Crying 'land ahoy' while our policy is all at sea

Don’t let the government’s recent boasts about UK offshore wind fool you into thinking our commitment to renewables is in good shape, warns Bridget Woodman
You've told them what to do Lord Laming — now explain how to do it

The recent report on child protection is long on finger-pointing and short on analysis or insight, says Eileen Munro
The free country that Labour have tied up in 'not's

Eamonn Butler: “Has Britain become a police state? Former spy chief Dame Stella Rimington says so, but Jack Straw says not. David Blunkett thinks yes, a bit. The Convention on Modern Liberty a couple of weeks ago says yes, a lot. It’s good that we’re having a debate — but not surprising. Each year the public face 20 or more new laws, 3,500-odd regulations, a billion official forms. Some 6,000 new offences have been created since 1997, alongside 1,400 new reasons for officials to enter and search our homes.” » more

Will the Tories really get Whitehall off the back of local government?

Gerry Stoker: “The Conservatives’ Control Shift: Returning Power to Local Communities constitutes an important policy statement as it lays out the plans of what is mostly likely to be the next government in terms of the devolution of power to local government and communities. On the surface the document restates the Conservatives’ return to the localist fold; a shift that some might not find all that surprising given the strength of the party in local government but also a shift that is consistent with the political philosophy of David Cameron from the start of his leadership.” » more
Be honest Mr Adams: you no longer have a strategy for a united Ireland

Anthony McIntyre: “Political violence has returned to the streets of Northern Ireland with a bang, or a series of them, with three members of the British military and policing forces being shot dead in two separate incidents over a 48 hour period.” » more

Don't overreact in Northern Ireland — stand firm

Fear of the consequences of overreaction to the recent violence in Northern Ireland should not lead to a weak response, argue Paul Bew and Patrick Maume
Now is the time for quantitative easing

Quantitative easing is necessary, argue Gordon Pepper and Michael Oliver, but economists have been warning about deceleration in money growth since the 1980s — and recent developments in monetary policy may hamper future judgments