Sometimes agreeing with Lib Dem can be annoying, but I have to agree with Mark Oaten today if what he has said in this motion is accurate. Apparently, St Margaret Street and Millbank/Great Parliament Street were closed between 30th October and 12th November for the Queen's Speech.
He has questioned the "merits of a 13 day road closure for an eight minute speech." He has point doesn't he? I mean, I can fully understand that you have to take security seriously, but closing off a major traffic route in the capital for almost two weeks is a little excessive isn't it?
4 comments:
I don't know about that but I really hate the way that the pavement and roadway outside Parliament becomes more fortress-like with the passing of time. Some of the pavement is "reserved" for MPs which is a bit Soviet if you ask me.
The whole Queen's Speech thing is so 20th century anyway. What's wrong with having a Queen's Podcast, which MP's could download to their Blackberrys whilst sitting in the chamber?
Ah but would they buy their own Blackberries???
I think a lot of this crap is to show us who's in charge. Keep reminding us about how politicians and VIP's need protection and keep the general fear levels up.
Or perhaps it was just to put Peter Tatchell off.
Abingdon St etc was closed for a period over the summer for some re-paving of Old Palace Yard, which no doubt included an upgrading of security facilities.
I would not be surprised if the present prolonged closure has v littel to do with the Queen's Speech and more to do with further security work.
Parliament Square and the surrounding streets are already traffic hell on a Weds lunchtime because of the palaver of getting the PM to and from the Palace for PMQs.
Wouldn't surprise me if the advice of the security tsars was to shift ad gently as possible towards closing as many of the streets as possible to car traffic.
Ed @ 11.33: there ain't no part of the regular pavement "reserved" for MPs. There is a chain fence down the middle of the pavement in Old Palace Yard, which is mainly to divide the gawping tourists from people who actually want to use the pavememnt to get somewhere.
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