MPs likely to debate return of death penalty

[Charlie]

Courtesy of BBC News:

The first "e-petitions" - which allow the public to prompt parliamentary debates if they get enough support - have been published by the government.

The return of the death penalty heads the list of demands, with dozens of separate campaigns calling for it.
However a petition opposing its return was the most popular one six hours after the site launched.
Other suggestions include keeping all Formula One races on terrestrial TV, leaving the EU and a lower voting age.
Petitions gaining more than 100,000 signatures could lead to a full debate in the House of Commons.
Ministers have warned MPs not to "ignore" the public's suggestions.

More than 40 of the first 200 or so petitions published called for the return of capital punishment, the most popular attracting more than 1,000 supporters by 1800 BST.

But the most popular petition was one opposed to the return of the death penalty, which had gained more than 2,700 signatures.

Several petitions call for all Formula One races to be shown live on terrestrial TV, following the announcement last week that the BBC will be sharing coverage with Sky Sports.

The most popular gained more than 1,000 signatories by 1800 BST.

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It's very disheartening that there are still large numbers of people in the 21st century who want to see the death penalty reintroduced. I sometimes like to kid myself that we're an enlightened species but things like this make me realise we ain't even civilised.

[Dogg Thang]

But Charlie, they're just bad guys. And so killing them makes us good.

[Kieran76]

It wont happen though. Nowhere enough support in the house of commons.

[abigsmurf]

And thus, the flaw with this e-petition scheme.

A tabloid can easily drum up a righteous fury about anything they want and get 100,000 signiatures. There's a reason every action of government isn't up for a public vote: because otherwise it's mob rule. How may horrific pieces of legislation like "Sarah's law" can we expect from this?

The death penalty is stupid. It's very questionable as a deterrent, it leads to lower conviction rates (a jury is less likely to find someone guilty if they think they'll die as a result), it leads to unreversable miscarriages of justice and it costs more to kill a prisoner than to lock them up for life. That's not even taking into account that it's barbaric and confuses 'justice' with 'revenge'.

[Dogg Thang]

Yep. There's a fine line between democracy and mob rule and this is hurtling towards mob rule.

Anyone want to sign my petition for burning heretics again? I'm pretty sure the economy is the way it is because we don't burn enough heretics.

[Charlie]

But Charlie, they're just bad guys. And so killing them makes us good.

Haha. Of course. I've been blind!

As Yorath says, it's very unlikely to be reintroduced, but it's crazy (I find it crazy anyway) that there are still sections of society in this day and age who want to kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong.

[toythatkills]

MPs likely to debate return of death penalty

Misleading thread title is misleading.

There's not going to be a debate, no matter how many signatures the petitions get. Anything over 100,000 and some backbenchers decide whether it'll be debated, they'll decide "no" in less than three seconds because it would mean withdrawing from things like the Human Rights Act. Presumably idiots have started a petition to do that as well, but that'll also never get debated.

The whole thing's a waste of time, basically. Get 100,000 signatures and you'll be able to get an issue debated if it's an issue that they'd have debated anyway.

[Charlie]

I hope you're right. Those in power and those running the country have got much better things to do.

[BeyondJumpFish]

I think what they should do it create some kind of website where the views of the BNP and far right can have they're opinions voiced in the house of commons...
oh wait...

[koopatroopa90]

Yeah it's not gonna happen. Gotta love some of these petitions though. This one quotes Jeremy Kyle!!

[EvilBoris]

Unforunately in this country as in many others, ill-informed idots outnumber the rational. They should never bring back the death penalty.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Should we bring back the death penalty? - Hell No!

Should we leave the EU? - Yes

[koopatroopa90]

Unforunately in this country as in many others, ill-informed idots outnumber the rational. They should never bring back the death penalty.

Theres a petition for that

[EvilBoris]

Oooh genocide

[Fader209]

There does need to be a better deterrent for breaking the law though (not approving of the death penalty here of course). People just aren't scared enough about doing bad stuff - even some of the most awful crimes the culprit only gets a handful of years, an easy prison life with TV etc and when they are released they get an ID change and moved abroad etc.
A harsher prison sentence is what is needed, proper old school style so they realise what they have done wrong and no early release.