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Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

My Lords, one cannot take away somebody’s right to do something and then not put in place binding arbitration. My noble friend Lady Hanham mentioned the disturbing sight of the police demonstrating. That sight terrified me because it brings the forces of law into political play. That is very dangerous. One of the reasons for the 1688 glorious revolution was the fear of standing armies. That is the flipside of the coin when police or soldiery take political action. For that reason, above all, with the police, the Prison Service and the Army, the Government ought to accept binding arbitration. If they are not going to accept binding arbitration, they should explain to the House of Commons why they have not done so. To think otherwise is extremely dangerous.