so this legislation if promulgated would allow any politician to enact any law they wanted?! That would just be impossible as politicians would just enact laws that would contradict each other and make the other law impossible to implement. Which would mean a particularly inefficient and disorganised state. And as for the idea we live in a democracy, come off it, we live under a system whereby those who are the helm of the state are rotated every four years and some other bureaucrats come in and represent the interests of capital. This is not democracy and it should not to be treasured.

How?

Because that Bill is allegedly being scrutinised by a select committee of MPs. That is a farce.

The whole process has been made subject to the dictates of the Blair Government via their team of overpaid 'counsel' and QC/s and those of the Bigger Business 'objectors' to parts of the hybrid Crossrail Bill.

The utter majority of objectors, who include community and small business components and individual residents from Th Brick Lane London e1 Area, have been relegated to the very last of the process.

In the context of those post, the Existing 'scrutiny' 'by Parliament’ in the UK is already a sham.

What is contained in the Crossrail Bill is neither economically sound nor socially desirable nor enr4obermnatlly acceptable.

Yet Transport Secretary Alistair Darling ahs already allocated an extra £100 Million in grants to the promoters of Crossrail while the Crossrail Bill is being only scrutinised.

It is not yet ion the statute Book but the Secretary of Sate is abusing his position openly and the Select committee has not said a word in opposition to that.

So, Parliament is already undermined very seriously and the existing batches, groups and packs of MPs are not going to stand up for Parliament as the sovereign centre of the UK unwritten Constitution that is supposed to be.

As was seen on 19 July 2005 when the same Crossrail Bill was given a Second Reading in the UK House of Commons with less than 30 MPs bothering to register a vote against.

As was seen on 19 July 2005 when the same Crossrail Bill was given a Second Reading in the UK House of Commons with less than 30 MPs bothering to register a vote against. [End Quote]

It might be something to do with the fact at crossrail is a London issue rather than a U.K. issue, o.k. I admit the area outside east and west London might benefit. Having said that the Crossrail plan involves using existing rail track, which are I might add, are currently in uses, on an already very busy commuter route. This is a major failing from the off-set, what London really needs specially now, with new housing development in the immediate area, is new Main-line station and new rail routes.

The only reason this project which has been on the back-burner for many years, has come to light again, is a very few self-vested interested people who see it as an opportunity to make money from public funds. With every single project undertaken by the government from the very first privatisation to the latest QnitinQ share scandal, it has been the same.

Companies outside of state control knows full very well, that they can bleed Public Funds because they know state own project/organisation cannot go bust and Government procurement effort is a sham.

What happen is, the person usually a careerist/private consultant brought in from outside, who are then employed by the state usually for a period of two years. If it's a careerist working within the government organisation, then they usually have very little practical experience working within a given organisation. If it a private consultant in sole control of procurement, then god help you, they are about to milk you dry. These individuals, are then given a deadline by the government usually base upon “how on to save cash.” The usual way a careerist/private consultant to save cash is to come up with fanciful figures. "Look, by selling this you are saving money". By the time the deal is done which the process that's two years, The government careerist/private consultant move up the pay scale/knighted with the rest of us workers to pick up the pieces after fine tooth combing the crappie deal signed by the previous "owner".

The truth is the public fund is there for the taking. It is nothing new and it been happening since the 50s. Just like the Crossrail/London Olympic Bid, the only reason they are being undertaken because “certain” individual see this as an opportunity to exploit and the Government Department is under consent pressure to save cash as a result of poor procurement deals in the past. It’s a never ending circle of debt and exploitation.

I understand your anger, with the cross rail, the bottom line is that you’re fu*ked and there’s nothing anyone one of us can do anything about it. You may be able to delay it and making its application more expensive but, in the end the Government has the final say and that the end of the matter. It is not to say it is not worth trying to make a change, it really does depends upon the individual who you speak too.

Well we "still" do have the right of the vote, we could all try a new tack this summer by not voting for the Government come May which would make an intresting spin on things. So make May a day by not voting.

Good luck all you protestors we need them...

As the comments above prove, there is very little understanding of how powerful this bill could be - if used in the wrong hands.
First to answer the questions above - No, not every politician could make laws, only cabinet ministers.

There are limitations, it can't be used to raise tax and it can't be used to make a law with a penalty longer than two years imprisonment.

What can it do? A similar law set up by Hitler in 1933 called the Enabling Act was used to make opposition parties illegal - this law could do the same. It could be used to make itself a more powerful law and unlike the Enabling act, it doesn't have a sunset clause - that means that even if Tony and Gordon don't want to take over the world, their successors might want to - and the law would make it possible.

This is a very dangerous law and needs to be stopped NOW!!