[wizardtop]

will the SOS for Foregin Affairs tell me whether that individual who is going to be deported participates in terroism activities?

[toronto353]

(Original post by wizardtop)
will the SOS for Foregin Affairs tell me whether that individual who is going to be deported participates in terroism activities?

I will repeat my answer from the other thread here:

I missed your question sorry. . With regards to the question that you've raised, there have been numerous cases in which Abu Qatada has been accused of terrorism. Abu Qatada is alleged to be the 'spiritual leader' of Al Qaeda and hence he is a known terrorism suspect. With regards to the situation, I would like to update the House on the action that the Foreign Office has taken.

As of the deportation of Abu Qatada, the Foreign Office has a sent a delegation to monitor the situation and the ensure that Abu Qatada is subject to no torture while we are seeking these agreements. Negotiations have been fruitful so far and we expect to conclude negotiations shortly with written guarantees that he will be subject to no torture while in Jordanian custody and that evidence obtained by torture will not be used against him in any trial against him. The Foreign Office is confident that we can obtain the assurances that this House wishes us to obtain and that the European Court of Human Rights wishes us to obtain.

[Eru Iluvatar]

(Original post by toronto353)
Certainly, though my reform of the Canon Amendment is a last resort action that I certainly do not wish to take. You could argue that, with the possibility of negotiations with an EU bloc in the MUN, the Canon Amendment isn't needed. However, making it easier to pass legislation in this House is my priority and so my reform is administrative and not political. There are also political reasons, but my main reason is administrative.

There is no administrative reason for such an amendment, as TSR HoC law already overrides EU law. There is nothing that we do here that isn't covered by that amendment, so it's reasoning is purely political.

(Original post by toronto353)
I am sad to hear that you've left the Lib Dems. You were definitely a force for good there.

Just felt that it was the right time to move on from the party.

(Original post by toronto353)
With regards to your above comments, it is not damaging at all. Other countries fight for their national interests and we are doing the same. There is nothing wrong in fighting for our interests. I also must strongly refute your allegations of circumnavigating the will of the electorate on two grounds. The first is that the general election was not fought on the issue of Europe so you simply can not draw that conclusion. The second is that, while the referendum did not allow us to withdraw from the EU, the electorate did not say that they did not want powers to be devolved back. They did not say that they did either, so you simply can't say that one stance was favoured by the electorate over another and that I am circumnavigating the will of the electorate.

I specified that I had no issue with us renegotiating within the framework of the EU, that's not the problem. I might disagree with the specifics of such renegotiations, but that's a different debate. My issue is with an amendment which will make our situation within the EU untenable by unilaterally changing the basis of our law, which will be incompatable with EU membership. The electorate voted for us to remain in the EU, so any measure which will force us from it is circumnavigating the will of the electorate.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Eru Iluvatar)
I specified that I had no issue with us renegotiating within the framework of the EU, that's not the problem. I might disagree with the specifics of such renegotiations, but that's a different debate. My issue is with an amendment which will make our situation within the EU untenable by unilaterally changing the basis of our law, which will be incompatable with EU membership. The electorate voted for us to remain in the EU, so any measure which will force us from it is circumnavigating the will of the electorate.

This is a last resort. I intend to pursue an agenda of reforms within the EU first. I can assure that the House that they will have every opportunity to vote on any treaty changes and any repatriations of power. Even if we have to use our last resort, the House will have final say. I am not attempting to do anything which cannot be done, but will consult with the House every step of the way.

[Eru Iluvatar]

(Original post by toronto353)
This is a last resort. I intend to pursue an agenda of reforms within the EU first. I can assure that the House that they will have every opportunity to vote on any treaty changes and any repatriations of power. Even if we have to use our last resort, the House will have final say. I am not attempting to do anything which cannot be done, but will consult with the House every step of the way.

That is of some reassurance, given actions that have been taken by the government elsewhere so far in this session. However I am concerned that your idea of a commonwealth free trade zone seems to be based on the idea that this amendment will be passed. I would ask what changes will you be pushing for within the EU, to allow such a trade zone to be implimented without this change.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Eru Iluvatar)
That is of some reassurance, given actions that have been taken by the government elsewhere so far in this session. However I am concerned that your idea of a commonwealth free trade zone seems to be based on the idea that this amendment will be passed. I would ask what changes will you be pushing for within the EU, to allow such a trade zone to be implimented without this change.

The Free Trade Zone is separate to this Amendment as far as I am concerned for the moment. I aim to push for a special dispensation which will allow any colonial power to trade with their own former colonies freely. If this is successful, I aim to expand the idea to allow all EU countries to trade freely with each other and with each other's former colonies to create an even greater free trade network.

I have always made it clear that I respect all decisions that this House takes and I can assure you and all members that I will take no action without the relevant legislation being passed first in the form of treaties or pacts.

[toronto353]

I can announce to the House that I have submitted my position paper to the MUN and it is available for all MUN members to debate and for all members of this House to read to get a better understanding of what I hope to achieve:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show....php?t=1971643

[Eru Iluvatar]

(Original post by toronto353)
The Free Trade Zone is separate to this Amendment as far as I am concerned for the moment. I aim to push for a special dispensation which will allow any colonial power to trade with their own former colonies freely. If this is successful, I aim to expand the idea to allow all EU countries to trade freely with each other and with each other's former colonies to create an even greater free trade network.

I have always made it clear that I respect all decisions that this House takes and I can assure you and all members that I will take no action without the relevant legislation being passed first in the form of treaties or pacts.

Do you think it might just be simpler to arrange discussions for a trade agreement between the commonwealth and the EU? Considering the breadth of former colonies from nations such as Spain, Portugal and France, such a dispensation seems to me to be unviable.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Eru Iluvatar)
Do you think it might just be simpler to arrange discussions for a trade agreement between the commonwealth and the EU? Considering the breadth of former colonies from nations such as Spain, Portugal and France, such a dispensation seems to me to be unviable.

Effectively that's the route I will take.

[tehFrance]

(Original post by toronto353)
I aim to push for a special dispensation which will allow any colonial power to trade with their own former colonies freely.

I am slightly confused, doesn't the UK already trade with former colonies freely? I know France does... hell France still goes in militarily to some of them.

[toronto353]

(Original post by tehFrance)
I am slightly confused, doesn't the UK already trade with former colonies freely? I know France does... hell France still goes in militarily to some of them.

We currently do not apparently due to EU law. RL UKIP and TSR UKIP both campaign to establish a free trade zone.

[Morgsie]

I am going to comment here:

Great Work on your Position Power
I would like to ask you a question, what happens with the Baltic Partnership if the EU Bloc goes through?

(I am happy because like you I will have loads of titles)

[toronto353]

(Original post by Morgsie)
I am going to comment here:

Great Work on your Position Power
I would like to ask you a question, what happens with the Baltic Partnership if the EU Bloc goes through?

(I am happy because like you I will have loads of titles)

Thank you for your kind words.

Should the EU bloc go through, I would still expect the Baltic Partnership to exist because a) it adds another dimension to the MUN which we need, b) it's hardly fair on them if we come in and basically remove them from the MUN and c) there is more than bloc within Europe - NATO and the EU exist happily side by side for example so I think that having both will add a realism.

[Life_peer]

I have finally had the time to fully read it and it is indeed a great work. I am glad that the repatriation of powers back from the EU is still actual!