Should There Be A National Referendum On Bringing Back Capital Punishment?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ukip-leadership-candidate-would-have-a-referendum-on-capital-punishment_uk_5815becfe4b0672ea688f17f

[MallyJ]

I really hope that the British people are not sufficiently barbaric to demand a return to legalised murder.

[ToraToraTora]

Mikey 6 months ago you'd have said we'd never leave the EU! However in this case I think you are correct.

[Ninefingers]

No, but realistically we need look at the justice system such that those who commit the most heinous of crimes are punished properly without some members of the PC brigade jumping in to get them reduced sentences and the like. The punishment needs to fit the crime

[mikey4444]

TTT....."Mikey 6 months ago you'd have said we'd never leave the EU! However in this case I think you are correct"

Yes, I did, in common with most of Parliament !

[askyourgran]

No.

[chrissa1]

No. Definitely not.

[mikey4444]

27 answers, and still 100% unity !

We should do this more often, as it is so refreshing !

[-Talbot-]

I think reading a thread properly would be refreshing.

[4candles]

Referendums on policy - NO.

MPs are representatives, not delegates.

Referendums on HOW we're represented - eg first past the post elections or proportional representation, or whether we should be in the EU - YES.

[Zacs-Master]

I wonder what AOGs thoughts are?

[Peter Pedant]

// I'd vote "no". But I'd like to see an overhaul of sentencing rules for serious crimes.// db

No
I think db is referring to the conclusion that to bring back hanging is to bring back hanging innocent people

The only mainland IRA convicts who had actually done it were the Balcombe St gang .... the rest - Guildford, Brum, M5 hadnt done it - even tho one LCJ ( Donaldson probably ) regretted that capital punishment wasnt an option

LJ Taylor when he was asked if he had ANY regrets for sending down men who hadnt done it, said 'no' - but it wasnt his fault if the police decided to lie to him .... ho hum let justice be done

[naomi24]

Mikey at 21:34, don't get too excited. Some people have simply answered the question on whether or not there should be a referendum. They haven't given their opinion on whether or not capital punishment should be reintroduced.

[Mamyalynne]

Good point Naomi.

If the referendum (should it occur) was simply.

Should the UK re-introduce the death penalty.

Yes

or

No

Then my vote would be 'No' and I feel that the 'Noes' would outnumber the 'Ayes'.


The result may well be different if there were categories within the voting options.

[naomi24]

^Precisely.

[New Judge]

"...but as long as the House of Commons holds the reins, it will never come back."

Never mind the House of Commons. Even if every member of the Commons, every member of the Lords and every one of the electorate wanted restoration of the death penalty it would not happen for one simple reason: the UK is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (nothing to do with the EU) and that Convntion specifically prohibits it. Despite the current (and the previous) government's rhetoric, the chances of the UK withdrawing from the ECHR is remote to put it mildly.

[Pete65]

No.

[andy-hughes]

No.

This is less about democracy and asking the national opinion, and more about political grandstanding and looking for an image as the party who would do away with namby pamby policies and get back to being 'British'.

Capital punishment is barbaric, and I would not support any party who even considered its return with this barmy suggestion.

[dannyk13]

It would be waste of time due to all political parties being against it, so no government would bring it back.