The government's Parenthood bill is a step forwards which we welcome. However, we would like to see it go further in time. We also worry that giving women vastly superior parental rights than men could lead to increased workplace discrimination and a widening of the gender divide so long as it is legal to discriminate against women on the grounds of pregnancy in the workplace. I am very proud Labour has applauded the government's efforts but has introduced an amendment to redress this possibly fatal flaw in the meantime.
I am glad that Labour is cooperating with the Government in the area of pregnancy and protecting the family, unfortunately their amendment is unfounded as it is already the law. British Statute in the Sex Discrimination Act, British Common Law in the case of James v Eastleigh Borough Council, and European (ECJ) Case Law in the case of Dekker v Stichting Vormingscentrum voor Jonge Volwassen (VJV-Centrum) Plus all show that it is illegal to discriminate against a woman on the basis of pregnancy. I welcome Labour's collaboration but in this case their amendment is already in existence in UK and European Law.
It should come as no surprise that I do disagree with Mr. Macmillan on this issue.
While he is right to say European case law has outlawed discrimination on the issue of pregnancy, the instances of British law that he cites is in relation to sex discrimination. Many women's rights groups have long expressed anxiety that this does not specifically outlaw discrimination on the instance of pregnancy within the British statute book as employers may attempt to argue that a woman's pregnancy is separate to her sex. While we won't let this disagreement on such a technical issue stop us applauding the government for the progress it is making on this issue, we do believe that our amendment will provide stronger protections for British women and more legal certainty for British employers. We encourage the government to accept it.
Ruth has presciently pinpointed a problem with British law in that it is all over the place, the rights of man exist in every statute ever passed and every case ever heard. Whilst we will not take the step Labour have suggested by spreading those rights even further and duplicating them in multiple sources of case and statutory law we will take steps to simplify and clarify the law so that we can all have the certainty we deserve.
It was my pleasure to speak at the Law Commission today to outline the Conservative Party's plan for a British Bill of Rights. This Bill of Rights will give you the power to hold Government and corporation alike to account for their duty to uphold your fundamental rights. It will bring together the many loose, contradictory, or duplicative strands of British and European law on discrimination and the rights of man into one place providing a single domestic, understandable, and affordable legal framework for all to enforce their rights with. I urge the other party leaders to join me in making a pledge to implement this legislation and to working with whomever is in office after the election so that a multilateral, expert-led, approach may be taken to safeguard and protect the inalienable rights of our citizens.
Instead of responding to the momentous defeat of his bosses' and bankers' Maastricht deal in Parliament with any semblance of humility, instead of taking a moment to consider why his deal is so unpopular, why working people across Britain have rallied against it and the vicious austerity it guarantees, the Prime Minister has decided to attempt to ram it through once more, a mere weeks away from an election.
Worst of all, instead of going back to Europe to fight for a better deal on behalf of working people like what Labour have advocated for, the only person he saw fit to negotiate with is his former arch-Euroskeptic Deputy PM. Working people will be condemned to even more misery as City speculators rise to even higher heights. I very much doubt that they will find much comfort in knowing that Wilfred Hart gets to enjoy ministerial perks as they continue to struggle in economic misery.
I wish to publicly thank Baron Home of Hirsel for his public service in regards to the reappointment of Sir Roderic as ambassador to the Soviet Union. Though recently, our relations with the Kremlin have been cold, the Government is optimistic that this appointment of Sir Roderic is a step in the right direction. We will continue to build our relation with the Soviets, a task made easier by having our man in place.
In 1979 the Scottish people voted for devolution, Labour said no. Today I outlined the Conservative Party's plan to deliver the reforms that were withheld in a cost effective and politically powerful way so that Scotland gets the devolved Parliament it deserves. The dual mandate system giving MSPs wide reaching powers over domestic legislation including the Scottish NHS, Scottish education, and Scottish law will give Scottish people far greater say in the governing of their locality and the policies that affect their daily lives.
Desperate times call for desperate men to take desperate measures, and that’s exactly what we are seeing from this Prime Minister. He would like for this country to believe that he is flowering and flourishing like a Highland thistle. In reality he is wavering and windtossed. He is thrashing about to keep his job and promising sun moon and stars. There wasn’t a single Conservative who voted for devolution the first time.
But if the Prime Minister is so concerned about devolution, perhaps he would like to come to my constituency and tell the people that he plans to reverse himself on the Greater London Council. If he’s for devolution in Scotland perhaps London could also be treated with such focus and concern. But then the people would have to determine that if the Tories can u-turn on those things, can you ever believe them?
The Conservative Party believe in giving people the power to shape their own lives. We cut taxes because we know that you have the best idea on how to run your life, we have pledged a Bill of Rights to give you the best possible means of protecting your rights, we have pledged a Scottish Parliament because Government is at its most effective when it is at its most accountable. By creating a Scottish Parliament made of Scottish MPs with a dual mandate we are creating a system of greater accountability for the elected representatives of Scotland on behalf of the Scottish people, there is no chance to hide behind the national party you must answer to the Scottish electorate for your decisions.
The Greater London Council was a perfect example of how not to devolve power to local government. By the time it was dissolved in favour of devolution to the London Boroughs it had become little more than a leftist talking shop with a leader in Ken Livingstone more concerned with meeting Gerry Adams than he was with solving Londoners' problems. Power should be accountable but it should also be cost effective, employing nearly a hundred extra politicians to do little but rabble rouse, raise billboards, and host political tea parties may well be Mr Ward's idea of the perfect devolution but it most certainly is not mine.