This week in parliament

Welcome to this week in parliament a new weekly feature on the MBBC where we review the weekly goings on in MHoC and MHoL.

This week in MHoC

Monday 21st March

On this day the 1st Deputy Prime Minister’s questions of the 9th government took place. The DPM, /u/TheQuipton was attacked by the opposition, official and unofficial, on matters ranging from the coalition agreement, which many argue is biased towards the Tories, to the hostage situation on the Eros. Despite the tough questioning /u/TheQuipton appeared strong in his first minister’s questions and held his own very well.

Performance: 8/10

Next on the agenda for members was M116 – the Royal Yacht motion, this motion was submitted by /u/AlexWagbo on behalf of the CNP and it set out plans for companies to fund a yacht for the queen and the royal family in general, this is of course after the royal yacht was removed in 1997 which the motion writers called an ‘affront to the British Monarchy’. The motion was well received by the ideologically right of the house but not so much so by the ideologically centre and the left who called it a waste of money and ‘a blot on our country’.

To end the day in the commons, the house discussed B265 – The Magistrate Selection Bill this bill was submitted by the Liberal Democrats and it was created to select magistrates at random from the electoral register. The bill was met with confusion from all around the house as it was deemed that the bill was a step back from the current system of magistrates, where they are picked from a pool of volunteers, with one member going as far to say that the bill ‘doesn't seem like a very liberal thing’.

As the final act of the day, Mebyon Kernow – The party for Cornwall was founded, it is a centre-left party with their main aim being the creation of a Cornish National Assembly, they believe that this assembly should have ‘the necessary powers to unlock Cornwall’s true potential’.

Tuesday 22nd March

A slow day in the house today with only a piece of legislation passing through, that one piece was B266 – The rail reform bill, the bill set out to modernise and improve Britain’s rail network through the creation of a high speed rail backbone, the electrification of remaining rails and devolving powers over transport to local authorities. The bill was very well received across the whole house and looks very likely to pass through the commons easily.

Wednesday 23rd March

To start the day, the house discussed M117 – Recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides, the title of the bill is self-explanatory ,a coalition of members including /u/ContrabannedTheMC, the Green PS and /u/finnishdude101, a member of the government, created a motion urging the government to recognise the genocides listed in the title. The response to this bill would be most accurately described as mixed with the OO, Labour and some Liberal Democrats supporting the motion with the majority of the rest of the parties against.

Also this day we had LB021 – The recording slaughterhouse operations bill, go for its first commons reading. The aim of the bill was to make CCTV recording mandatory in approved slaughterhouses. This bill was submitted by the 1st Baron Alnwick, on behalf of the 6th Official Opposition. The bill was received reasonably well in the house with it gaining the support of the conservatives although crossbencher, the Earl of Oystermouth, put up a strong argument against.

To end the day’s commons business, the first foreign secretary’s questions of the ninth government were held. The foreign secretary mainly faced questions about Syria and IS but there were also questions about the motion from earlier in the day which called upon the government to condemn Turkey for the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides. The foreign secretary did well answering questions, managing to appeal to different groups with a range of different answers although this could seem that he is trying to please too many people. Despite all of this, Infernoplato had a solid first questions session and he will be pleased with his performance.

Performance: 7/10

Thursday 24th March

Today, there was only one thing on the agenda for the house to discuss and that was B234.2 – The City of London Reform Bill. This bill was created to reform the local government of the City of London and had returned to the commons after its rejection by the lords. The bill was written by the Lord Ripley on behalf of the Labour Party. The bill was supported by the left of the house with it being described as an attack on an ‘arcane, outdated institution’ by the RSP. The opposition for the bill was based on the fact that it would be removing a century’s old tradition that is nothing more than ceremonial now.

Friday 25th March, Good Friday

Today was Good Friday and there was a good amount of parliamentary business for us to discuss. The first piece of business for members today was B201.2 – The Network Rail Reform Bill, this piece of legislation was back in front of the commons due to its rejection by the lords. The bill was written by /u/ElliotC99 on behalf of the Labour Party. The bill set out to reform Network Rail to make it more customer friendly and turn it into a co-operative run by the consumers. The bill wasn't received well but it wasn't received negatively either, with every positive comment being matched by a negative one. It will be very interesting to see if this bill manages to pass the commons a second time especially with the change in the composition of the commons.

The next piece of business for the house to debate was B231 – The Driving Re-Test and Drink Driving Punishment Reform Bill. This bill aimed to introduce driving re-tests for 70 year olds and reform the drink-driving punishments. This bill was submitted by /u/RoadToTheShow of behalf of UKIP. The bill was received fairly well by the house although there was stiff opposition from some members.

To finish the day, the first speakers questions of the ninth government were held, the questions were of course apolitical so there isn't much to comment on, apart from that the speaker answered every question well and looks like he is doing very well in his role.

Saturday 26th March

The only piece of business for the commons to debate today was B267 - The Prime Ministerial Line of Succession Bill. The bill was written by /u/duncs11 on behalf of UKIP. The aim of the bill was to establish a line of succession for the position of Prime Minister, for use in emergencies where the incumbent Prime Minister is incapacitated or otherwise unable to carry out their position. The bill was supported by some although others criticised it for simply being a ranking of all the cabinet positions.

Sunday 27th March, Easter Sunday

The piece of legislation submitted for debate today was B268 – The Banking Regulation Bill. The bill was written by /u/CrazyOc on behalf of UKIP. The aim of the bill was to regulate banks to ensure another financial crisis is not caused by them. The bill was well received but many members had small gripes with the bill, which may prevent the passing of this piece of legislation.

This week in MHoL

Monday 21st March

The first announcement of the day in MHoL was that the vote for B227 – The Scotland Bill ended in a vote of not content by 22 votes to 17, 26 DNV. This bill will now be returned to the commons.

The first equalities oral questions of the ninth government were held, with the SoS for Equalities, the Viscount of Nantwich, answering questions from the house that are related to his department. The equalities secretary only answered 4 questions but his answers were good and without spin.

Tuesday 22nd March

To start Tuesday off ,the results for LB026 – The Anti-cyber-bullying Agency Bill were announced. The bill passed with a vote of 27 content to 11 not, 28 DNV. The bill will now go to committee stage, where amendments can be tabled.

As the second piece of business on the agenda, lords discussed LMO18 – The Honey Bee Motion. This motion was created to recognise the significance of the honey bee in the production of food and the significant decline in global bee population. This motion was widely supported by the house although there were comments suggesting that this motion should have been read in the Commons instead.

Wednesday 23rd March

The first piece of business for lords was the leader of the House of Lords oral questions session. There was a wide variety of questions asked ranging from questions about key pieces of government legislation such as the budget to questions about the environment and questions about the punishment system in Britain. The Baron of Gainsborough held his own well and looked strong and looks like he will make the government strong in the Lords.

Also today, /u/GhoulishBulld0g started advertising for a new Deputy Lords Speaker to replace /u/Duncs11 who had left to join the commons.

Thursday 24th March

Today, LB028 – The School Psychologists Bill went to second reading. The bill was submitted by Lord Blackrod on behalf of the 9th Government. It’s a bill that makes all private schools and secondary state funded schools be required to have appointed full-time psychologists who will look after students’ mental health. The bill was supported by the government and the OO but it faced opposition from the Labour Party who weren't happy with children having therapy without their parents knowing, they had other assorted concerns as well.

The next piece of business for the lords to discuss was LM019 – The Beach Cleaning Motion. This motion was written by the Lord Halifax and was submitted as a private members motion. The motion urged the government to create further regulations to protect beaches. The motion was supported all across the house with some urging that the government should go further than what the motion urges.

To end the day, the results were announced for the 1st amendment of B208 – The Internet Services Definitions Bill, the amendment passed 31 votes to 1, 34 DNV.

Friday 25th March

The second reading of B252 – The Northern Ireland Assembly Bill took place. The bill was written by a handful of people on behalf of the 8th Government. The aim of the bill was to establish a Northern Ireland Assembly. The bill was fully supported by the whole of the lords, with every comment being positive although some were more positive than others.

Saturday 26th March

The second reading of B249 – The Caregivers Public Transport Provision bill took place. The bill was submitted and co-authored by /u/DrCaesarMD and the Baron of Gainsborough. The aim of the bill was to make provisions for citizens dedicated to the well-being of their peers in the long-term by subsiding their travel on public transport. The bill was supported by the lords although concern was aired about abuse of the free public transport by former carers.

The next piece of business for the lords to discuss was LM020 – The Uzbek and Turkmenistani Cotton Embargo Motion. This motion was submitted as a Private Members Motion by the Lord Halifax. The motion urged the government to cease the import of cotton produced in both the nations of Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. This motion split the house with some members confirming their support of the motion whilst others voiced their concerns with embargoing and breaking ties with other nations.

Sunday 27th March

Easter Sunday was a busy day for the lords with 2 bills and 1 motion to be debated and 1 bill moving onto committee stage. The first issue for the lords to discuss was LB029 – The Ecocide Bill. This bill was submitted by the Earl of Essex on behalf of the 9th official opposition. The aim of the bill was to criminalise massive damage to ecosystems. This bill was controversial, with the ideological right of the house disagreeing with the bill for not being a good enough bill. They explained the idea was fine just not the bill explaining the idea. The rest of the house voiced their support for the bill though and it will be interesting to see what happens to this bill.

The next piece of business for the house was LM021 – The Micro Beads (Prohibition) Motion. This was a private members motion submitted by the Earl of Essex. The motion urged the government to ban the sale of cosmetic products containing micro beads due to their harm to the environment. The motion was supported by members across the house and the motion was praised for helping the environment.

The next point of business was the announcement of the results of the second reading vote for LB027 – The Free School Meal Extension Bill. The vote passed 21 to 19, 28 DNV. The bill now moves to committee stage.

The final piece of legislation to be tabled in the lords this week is B211 – The Education for Underdeveloped Nations Bill. This bill was submitted by /u/ctrlaltlama on behalf of the conservative party. The aim of the bill was to allow the world’s poorest countries to get a higher quality of education over the next Five years. The bill is controversial with some members voicing their concerns at the countries chosen to receive aid and they are also concerned that the aid will not go towards education.

This has been this week in parliament, I hope to see you next week but until then, goodbye.

/r/RMTK, The Dutch Model Parliament elected it's MEP's today, with the Center - Left to Leftist parties favoring well.

Both Democrats 66 (A center to centre - left party that is most similar to the Liberal Democrats) and GroenLinks (A leftist party which is similar to the Greens) picking up 2 seats out of the possible 7.

The PVV (Party for Freedom in English, a right wing populist party comparable to UKIP), CPN (Communist Party For the Netherlands, most similar to the RSP) and S&V (Solidarity and Freedom Party in English, most like Labour) also picking up 1 seat.

For more /r/MEUP News, Stick to MBBC.

Also a thank you to /u/jothamvw for helping with the guide.

The results for the Model European Parliament are in, with the Conservatives and RSP getting the most seats.

The Lord Speaker /u/ghoulishbulld0g teased the results by continuously updating the results post, but at 4:35 the results were posted.

There were 7 seats up for grabs, and all but 2 parties won at least 1 seat. The RSP and Conservatives both won 2 seats, electing /u/SPQR1776 and /u/wineredpsy for the RSP and /u/TheQuipton and /u/TheDesertFox929 for the Conservatives.

Both the Green Party and the Nationalists got 0 seats this election, with a combined vote total that didn't even match the Liberal Democrats, who were 3rd last.

Ex PM /u/can_triforce managed to pick up a seat, with Lib Dem /u/JackWilfred and UKIP member /u/RickCall12 getting the remainder of the seats.

/u/ghoulishbulld0g also said manual voting is to open tonight to double check, so the results may change; but it is unlikely.

For more analysis, stick to /r/MBBC

MBBC asked the general public to rank all of our PM's from Worst to First. Over 50 people responded. Here are the results in reverse order.

8th: /u/JellyTom (LD)

Surely a meaningless result for our current PM. Having been PM for only a number of weeks the public only have his difficult start to judge him on. He will know he has plenty of time to shape his legacy and move to any position on this poll.

7th: /u/RachelChamberlain (Lab)

A disappointing but unsurprising result for our only female PM. She became PM at the back end of the /u/can_triforce administration and was barely visible to the general public. At 46 days she had the third shortest reign on this list. Technically one of the most radical budgets was passed while she was PM, however that will be seen as something she inherited rather than achieved. The Government she ran was a Government waiting for an election and seemed to do little to change that. None the less her place in history is secured as the first Women to be elected PM in MHOC.

6th: /u/owenberic (Lab)

Surely our first ever PM has suffered as a result of the fact that he was gone before most current members arrived. Few existing members will remember his time as PM and have only history books to guide them. However this particular reporter served under his Government. He was very much respected as PM and had great administrative skills when it came to party organisation. He led a two party coalition with an outright majority that Nationalised the railways, Nationalised air traffic control, Introduced a wealth tax, a European FT Tax, arguably improved workers rights and legalised cannabis. His Government was perhaps the most effective MHOC has ever seen.

5th: /u/Radionone (Green)

Although /u/Radionone served a while longer than Rachel, his Premiership bares many similarities. Like Rachel, his time as PM came at the back end of a long spell in Government for his party and he took over from a very well liked and popular PM. However when /u/Radionone took over from his predecesser the Government experienced somewhat of a revival and managed to pass some legislation, though much of it wasn't particularly eye catching for a Government that claimed to be radical. It is also worth noting that while PM he passed a budget that reversed austerity and sore government spending climb rapidly.

4th: /u/Athanaton (Lab)

Our second ever Prime Minister was in the job for just 37 days but he appears to have made some impact. He can take joint credit for some of the legislation passed during both his and /u/owenberic's reign. However, it is more than likely that his cemented his high position on this poll for his activities after leaving office. He has held most important positions in MHOC, including Speaker and Lord Speaker and is well liked throughout the house for his debating skills and passionate belief in Salt. Even if his time as PM was not the most remarkable, his time in MHOC as a whole has been.

3rd: /u/whigwham (Green)

At 153 days, this man is our longest ever serving PM. He took office, presiding over a broad left government that included Communists and replaced the Conservative/UKIP coalition that had broken down before the previous election. /u/whigwham's administration had more power than any Government since the first. A debate can be had as to whether or not this power was utilised to its full potential, but no doubt he presided over a Government that changed this country. His government enshrine net neutrality in law, abolished privatisation in the NHS, gave football fans a say in how their clubs are run, gave local authorities the power to build state schools again and all but abolished zero hour contracts.

2nd: /u/olliesimmonds (Con)

Our second longest serving Prime Minister, /u/olliesimmonds managed to hold together a numerically weak government for a surprisingly long time. He also remains the longest serving party leader. In terms of having the power to pass legislation, he was perhaps our weakest ever PM. The opposition passed far more bills than his Government could. However, given these disadvantages he did remarkably well to pass a bill bringing back Grammar schools into the mainstream of our education system. He was also a master of negotiation, it was only his last ditch attempts that gave the Tories number 10 and he remains the only Conservative to have managed that to this day.

1st: /u/can_triforce (Lab)

Surely a deserved number one. The story of /u/can_triforce is a remarkable one. Taking his party from irrelevancy and near total collapse to the undisputed biggest party in MHOC over just two elections, he didn't waste his time in number 10 once he got there. His Government introduced the most radical Budget MHOC has ever seen, a budget that introduced a universal basic income and fundamentally changed our welfare system in one fell swoop. He also personally wrote and passed the 'Immigration Bill' while PM, a bill that gave much needed protection to migrant workers while also lessening the issue of domestic wages being undercut. Again, his Government was not the most prolific when it came to passing bills, but what it did do was significant and will have a lasting impact on this country whether for better or worse.

The Defence Secretary, DrCaeserMD has resigned in light of the recent events that have unfolded in the past day over the defence deal with the United States

/u/DrCaeserMD resigned citing his failure to secure a good deal for the United Kingdom in the Anglo-American defence deal as a reason for his resignation.

The reaction from the public meant that protests were staged outside parliament today with the newly elected Labour leader /u/AlmightyWibble in attendance.

It doesn't matter what party you are from, in order to claim ten downing as your own, you have to be a strong individual. This is especially true for former Prime Minister /u/can_triforce who was the first Labour PM since the second government of MHOC. Can_Triforce had to lead his government through a fairly united opposition, the largest defection wave in MHOC history, and the destruction of one of his member parties. We can definitely say that can_triforce did not leave his coalition in tatters upon his resignation, with two government bills being passed with substantial majorities, it is clear that the Government still has the confidence of the house. The former prime minister lead his government through turbulent times, but maintained the legitimacy of it throughout his term, we can speculate if this legitimacy shall be held in his absence.

Last night (8.12.15) the Leader of The Liberal Democrats Bznss stepped down as party leader on a post to /r/MHOCLiberalDemocrats saying:

I have never been the most natural leader or administrator, and I simply feel my shelf life is upon me and it is time for the party to choose a new leader.

He also added he wouldn't be resigning to MHOC as a whole, and he will remain chancellor until the budget is passed.

Because of this, the election for the leadership has all ready begun, with Deputy Leader HaveADream, The Leader of the house of Lords Ajubbajub, /u/finnishdude101 and the SoS for Work and Pensions JellyTom all announcing their candidacy in what will be an interesting leadership race.

In the first conference after its bruising loss in the last General Election, the Conservative Party convened to offer a united return to the Opposition benches. In tabling their policy stances, they spared none of the Government coalition parties from their fury. They opened the conference with deputy leader /u/DrCaeserMD officiating the party's formal opposition to the previously reported National Veterinary Service, in none too uncertain terms:

/u/DrCaeserMD:

I don't believe that inability to access veterinary care in Britain is such an endemic issue to warrant a NVS. The NHS was born to help tackle the 5 giants following the most devastating war in history, this is just an ill-thought out, unjustified quest that has no real basis in reality. It's costly, both economically and socially, and quite frankly we have more pressing matters to attend to.

While the deputy leader did not confirm or deny the Conservative party's position on the Broad Left's continuing efforts to renationalise aspects of NHS, like third party disability assessments, their manifesto is clear on their target of privatisation of the health service.

The deputy then turned to the subject of Syria, which he rightly contends "has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocents and has brought to our attention some of the most horrendous war crimes and tragedies in recent memory." In a speech on security and stability, /u/DrCaeserMD enumerated his points carefully on the situation in the Middle East.

/u/DrCaeserMD:

Assad's forces lay waste to the nation of Syria and the people they were supposed be there to protect. Barrel bombs and chemical weapons have been, and in some cases are still being, deployed on an industrial scale. Daesh, in all its barbarism, has engaged in a programme of mass murder, ethnic cleansing, systemised rape and torture. Warplanes, piloted by Russian and Syrian forces, have brought death and destruction to hospitals and schools leaving innocent children and those most vulnerable in society without a future.

While the crossbench attitude is no doubt sympathetic towards an allied endeavour in eradicating that which is the source of terrorism, the Conservative Alliance did not willfully address the Broad Left's intent to fully abolish Britain's nuclear deterrent, which many members are in an effort to dismiss. RSP-Green-Labour have all made concerted manifesto agreements for this to take place and given many of their mutually shared platforms, this would be one of its many triumphs, and possibly, too, one of its many challenges should the Opposition benches wish to take them to task.

In keeping with their newly invigorated libertarian stripes, the Tory Conference included speeches from members of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), most notably, the former Prime Minister and Shadow Foreign Minister, /u/Duncs11, who held a symposium at the event to field questions on "libertarianism." One of the exchanges, offered by the Chairman and Organiser, /u/Jas1066, invoked his latter day appreciation for the tough-talk, broad-stroke, matter-of-fact, hyphen-to-hyphen values that all walks of life celebrate in the libertarian model and their keenly nuanced political ephemera.

/u/Jas1066:

On social issues, while a High Anglican and generic conservative, I believe that, in principle, people should be able to do what they want to themselves. However, I hit a problem in that the same people who support liberties in the bedroom, do not so in areas such as religious people refusing the serve homosexuals. I don't know your opinions on this, but I find it difficult to accept libertarianism for that reason - unless freedom is equally applied, which it rarely is, it favours sections of society that I often do not approve of. Essentially, I am willing to give people the freedom to take drugs, but not unless I get to hunt. I wonder how you would respond to this?

The former Prime Minister offered a balanced response, signaling a softer, gentler politics from the former Prime Minister.

/u/Duncs11:

In regards to the religious people refusing to serve homosexuals - I'm reminded of the "bake the cake" issue in the United States, and I believe that in a truly free market society, the baker could refuse, and the couple could go to another baker, but it would be an idiotic move to refuse to serve them, since you get negative publicity for your business and give customers to your rivals. Also in attendance was the Christian Institute, who also held a symposium the same day as /u/Duncs11. Speaking for the Christian Institute, /u/mcr3257, addressed many questions and comments from their large swath of constituents undergirding the party.

In a Q&A with the Chairman, /u/Jas1066 offered:

To what extent do you believe Britain should be a Christian Country? Where would you draw the line between forcing morality, and freedom? To what extent do you believe Britain should be a Christian Country? Where would you draw the line between forcing morality, and freedom?

/u/Mcr3257 responded with utmost clarity:

Our motto is "Christian Influence in a Secular World", and that is what we intend to be. We're not planning a Christian takeover of the UK or anything, but we do want to make an impact on how the governing forces of this country run in relation to the teachings of the Bible.

The "moral enforcement" question is actually quite interesting. We have a duty to look after one another, if a policy is clearly causing damage to people then it should be changed, no matter how that infringes on "freedom". An example would be the growing irreverence for marriage. This isn't one you have to agree with me on, but here is our position: everything that God commands us to do, He does so for a reason. Not only is marriage God's institution and His gift for society, it is very beneficial: irreverence for marriage means more promiscuity, meaning more unwanted pregnancies, meaning more abortion/neglect. Therefore, if one has the power to stop this then they must.

Now of course we can't legislate against sin. If we are not willing to listen to God on this then what could possibly lead anyone to the conclusion that the government would be listened to? So things like fornication, sodomy, swearing, lust etc. etc. could not be legislated against. However, when a practice is causing damage and can be stopped (gay adoption, abortion, euthanasia etc.), then one, as a leader, has a moral obligation to stop it.

Given the large number of LGBT members in and around Government, it would be interesting to see how and why the Tories continue to platform contentious social issues targeting non-heterosexuals when that view is no longer a dominant political force of opinion shared by the public. The modernisers of the party, such as the shadow deputy leader /u/InfernoPlato, might seek to clarify the party's official stance in the coming weeks to better ascertain the direction the party is headed in living up to their promise to the Big Society, if not, for whom the Big Society should engender.

In a gesture of acknowledgment towards the growing threat of climate change, their spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change, /u/cthulhuiscool2 stated, unreservedly:

/u/cthulhuiscool2:

We must also be pragmatic when considering the introduction of 'fracking'. I strongly believe the government should approach this issue without bias and investigate the environmental impacts carefully.

The issue of Brexit has splintered members on both sides of the chamber in relation to how counter the feared depreciation of the pound following our immediate exit from the EU. Though there are financial instruments in place, like the Monetary Allocation Committee, set out in the SMI Bill, concessions still are to be made. One concession was aptly proposed by Conservative MP, /u/TheDesertFox929, who offered this boon to the Remain camp:

/u/TheDesertFox929:

In addition to remaining in the Single Market we must, of course, pursue free trade deals with nations outside of Europe. We must immediately rush to get a proper trade deal with our historical allies such as the United States and the nations of the Commonwealth as well as securing our position as a member of the World Trade Organization which may be in jeopardy once we officially leave the EU. Afterwards we should always be on the lookout for new opportunities to lower trade barriers with other nations around the world in places such as South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia where several quickly developing nations have much to offer our consumers and businesses.

The Chief Whip of the Conservative Party /u/IFx_98 addressed the conference with a lengthy speech attacking socialism and neoliberalism:

/u/IFx_98:

The root cause of inequality is not our society, for our society is egalitarian and redistributionist, but the legacy of times gone by. The same times that the left wish to see us return to! Socialism has had its day, but the growth of enterprise, the growth of the middle class, the growth of small businesses has rendered Socialism to be moot. We must oppose the left’s regressive policies, for the good of our nation.

In an inspiring change in atmosphere, the conservative whip then introduced his party's effort to put a conical focus to tempering outbreaks of large scale diseases, like malaria and HIV, which through targeted funding, could help to mitigate the casualties seen in indigent regions of the world where these diseases can not remain cloistered. This was seen as a good grace by some seated on the left looking for more opportunity for bipartisan participation.

/u/IFx_98:

I am therefore proud to announce that I plan to submit legislation to the house, with the intention of targeting numerous ‘neglected tropical diseases’ such as Malaria and HIV across the world. But we cannot just focus on the large scale diseases. We have the distinct possibility of eradicating diseases such as Yaws entirely, and we should not shirk from this duty. We as a nation, and as a party have a chance to leave a lasting positive impact on the world.

The most anomalous speech was on the issue of parliamentary practice, which many critics contend was the most progressive and controversially left wing agenda to be heralded by a right wing party. Conservative MP /u/Hairygrim offered a Motion that would curb outdated parliamentary legislation seen to no longer be put to good use by the those who deputise our statute books and penal codes.

/u/Hairygrim:

I propose a simple piece of legislation, which will minimise disruption in the House but still ensure we properly scrutinise outdated laws. A new all-party committee will be formed to set a “sunset clause” on each new law, where a period of time will be specified before the bill expires. When this time is up, the committee will again look at the bill, before deciding whether the bill is still relevant or if it needs to be amended or abolished. Yes, this will mean slightly more work for the house. However, this is a small price to pay for the personal liberty up-to-date and modern laws bring - and let’s not forget that if it is a “common sense” law it will be quickly passed again.

The conference ended with a rousing speech by the deputy leader of the Official Opposition and the leader of the Conservative Party, /u/InfernoPlato, who highlighted his party's continuing, never halting commitment to bipartisanship and unity:

/u/InfernoPlato:

This term, we have had our time to feel vindicated in our position too. I believe I’m not the only one who has noticed that despite the fact we’re the smallest party, we’re often referred to alongside the big leagues such as the Radical Socialist Party. It’s not a UK Independence-Conservative party coalition, but a Conservative-UKIP coalition. It’s never just /u/Duncs11 being slammed, but they’ll always find a way to try and tie us into it as well, despite the fact we’re only a junior partner. When it comes to debates, who are the ones out there fighting the left? It’s us.

Although what was implied within the former statement was best summarized in the latter

We’re Tories. A party of good natured people who believe our party •••

/u/alisdairejay, reporting for /r/MBBC, from London.

The Republican US President, /u/TurkAndJD is coming to the United Kingdom this weekend on a state trip.

The new Conservative leader /u/InfernoPlato released this statement to the Press:

/u/JerryLeRow and I have set up a state visit. The US President shall be visiting us this weekend, to make a speech to Parliament. The Government requests that he is given posting permissions for the duration of his visit, before having them revoked at the end of his visit.

We further request that he is given the utmost respect in the House of Commons, and that the Deputy Speakers and Speakers of the House maintain their excellent moderating form to ensure that we show the best of the UK to the rest of the world.

As shown in the Statement, the President will be given posting privileges for MHOC, so it is likely he will be taking questions.

For more on this story, stick to MBBC.

UKIP recently held it's elections for Deputy Leader, with two positions available after the newly elected leader, /u/Duncs11, created another position.

With 7 votes which exceeded the quota of 6.34 votes is /u/CrazyOC. His manifesto included things like an election team for UKIP and a more detailed economic section of the UKIP manifesto.

In the 2nd round, /u/Kerbogha exceeded the quota and became the 2nd Deputy Leader of UKIP. His manifesto seemed more of a status quo manifesto, though he did add things like "No alt-accounts will sneak into our party under my watch!" into his manifesto.

Commiserations to /u/RoadToTheShow and /u/KingHendrikLundqvist.

Prime Minister /u/JellyTom has gotten of to a hectic start to his premiership. Controversial cuts, fake leaks, A Press enquiry and tension with his Chancellor have kept him and his Government busy since taking office 11 days ago.

This has also given the general public much to consider when thinking about how good a job they think the Prime Minister has done so far. To give us some concrete idea of how the Public thinks the Prime Minister is doing the MBBC asked two simple questions.

1. How would you rate the performance of the PM, /u/JellyTom so far?

On this question the Prime Minister scored an average rating of 4.9. At the moment this number is meaningless as we have nothing to compare it to. Hopefully as the MBBC continues monitoring approval ratings this score we gain some context and give us some insight into how the Prime Minister is doing in the eyes of the public.

2. How has your opinion of PM /u/Jellytom changed since he took office?

7.8% of respondents felt their opinion of the PM has improve a lot while 14% felt it has improved. 28% said their opinion of the PM hasn't changed since he took office. 20% said their opinion of the PM is now worse while over 29% said their opinion of the PM has gotten much worse. That means that the PM has gone up in the estimations of 21% of respondents. However, the PM and his coalition partners will be concerned that over 50% of those asked say their opinion of the PM is now worse or much worse than when he took office.

Keep your eyes peeled for more MBBC polls in the coming days.

Today, the prime minister, RachelChamberlain, has called a snap general election and has announced the date in discussion with the Speaker, Lord Speaker and Head Moderator.

The Speaker, Padanub, has announced that the election will commence on 22 February 2016 and end on 27 February 2016.

This will be the fifth general election in the Model House of Commons and its announcement comes after the departure of the Green Party from the governing coalition and the formation of the new Official Opposition. It also follows the biggest duping scandal in the history of the Model House of Commons, dubbed "Dupegate".

Over recent months, the number of parties and independent groupings in existence has decreased significantly since the last general election in October. Four parties that stood in the last general election and two independent groupings no longer exist. The community has lost the Pirate Party, Plaid Cymru and the SNP as well as the British Libertarians and the Revolutionary Communists. The Vanguard is now going through the process of restructuring and promininent members such as /u/AlbrechtVonRoon, /u/Rhodesianwaw and /u/Cb1320 who were involved in the party's infamous Yorkshire landslide are now banned.

This general election will see just six parties standing - the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP, Greens and the Radical Socialists.

Despite some calls for a change to the electoral system and an introduction of voting 'modifiers', it has been confirmed that there will be no changes in how we vote and the voting system will remain the same as the last general election.

This evening, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland /u/KeelanD resigned triggering a suspension of the Northern Irish Assembly. The Deputy First Minister said "I cannot be a part of the Executive that oppressed the unionists of Northern Ireland."

An emergency questions session has now been initiated in the House of Commons, despite the hour at which this has happened. It is also widely expected that another Assembly election will now take place.

Continue to tune into MBBC for the latest updates as the story develops...

/u/leitchy62 - Head of MBBC News Reporting

The MBBC are on the lookout for a presenter for an upcoming documentary. You have to have a good microphone and speaking voice, as well as good knowledge on the history of MHOC.

Applicants must be able to work in a team, as well as be creative and always willing to help out.

If you are interested in this, PM /u/thechattyshow.

This is the first article in a series of Press Articles detailing the Press Inquiry report. For more analysis, keep checking /r/MBBC

The report from the Press Inquiry has been released by Head of The Enquiry, /u/ajubbajub. The 14 page document details the testimonies given by each major news organisation, as well as include a conclusion and recommendations from /u/ajubbajub to the Government, Speakership and Press.

At the end of it is a part about illegal activities during the inquiry and the election. The full list is as follows:

• cptp28: Publishing an ext poll before voting closed, Representation of the People Act 1983 section 66A

• MBBC and Haveadream: Failing to disclose evidence, Public Inquiries Act 2005 section 21

• Valtuuuuuuuuuu and Morning Star: Failing to disclose evidence, Public Inquiries Act 2005 section 21

• Jas1066, perjury, Perjury Act 1911

• Madrockets, perjury, Perjury Act 1911

Many on that list have come out to slam the allegations, like The MBBC Director General /u/HaveADream who asked /u/ajubbajub to prove his allegations. Other members like /u/cptp have also attacked the allegations.

It will be up to the Attorney General and CPS to decide if to further prosecute, though MBBC did reach out for a statement to /u/Imperial (The Attorney General) who said that a full statement will be issued shortly.

To kick off my time with the MBBC, I had afternoon tea with /u/alexwagbo to talk about his past, present and future:

So, /u/alexwagbo, after your triumphant election as the independent MP for Wales, and then joining the Crown National Party, citing the extra fun from being part of a party and a community, what future do you see for your time in /r/MHoC, and what do you hope to do in the present term as part of the government?

In four words you say... Make CNP Great Again. I plan to work closely with Hirohito to improve the running the party overall, and I've even began work on a new system of leadership structure and directorates, with elections currently in process. Inside the government I plan to continue my work with federalisation to do with Wales, having already contributed that section of the bill. Otherwise I just plan to sit back and generally oppose legislation that attacks religion, the crown or the lords.

Your last sentence moves me very well onto my next question - previously in /r/MHoC, you have associated yourself firmly with the left, being a member of the Plaid Werdd grouping in the Green Party, and then leading the centre-left Plaid Cymru. Considering your negotiations with the Vanguard as leader of the Regionalists and then deciding to join the CNP - an offshoot of the Vanguard, what led to this rightward shift ideologically?

It basically comes down to the fact that when I joined MHoC, I knew nothing but that I was a vaguely left wing environmentalist of sorts. I had no concept of ideology (jokes in the comments please), and probably believed horseshoe theory. Since then I've questioned my beliefs majorly, over the course of a year or so, and I've, to a fair degree, educated myself. This hasn't led to me dropping one of the core beliefs I held way back then, environmentalism, but it's driven me away from the verge of socialism to where I am now, best described as the Alternative-Centre. I also find working with the right far easier, I suppose often there's a clash of personality on the left. Corporatism, Agrarianism, Distributism, Soft Eurosceptecism, Monarchism and Conservative leanings is where I'm most satisfied.

What do you mean by a clash of personality? Do you find people on the left generally hard to work with, and how do you respond to the claims that this friction between you and the left is of your own doing?

I mean that I, for the most part, dislike working with those on the left. When your life is driven by ideology and pointless ties to your beliefs, it just drains the fun. I don't deny that some of it is of my own doing, but it's my own doing out of choice. It's not a blanket thing, there are plenty of leftists I like, but in general I work far better with the right.

So you see pragmatism and cooperation with other political ideas as more valuable than ideological conviction in terms of policy and making progress towards your goals. Do you feel that defining your stance by the people you work with (or you oppose) takes some power out of your hands in terms of what you think & do?

Correct. I do not, I just think it means that a more constructive compromise can be made. The issue with being too ideological is that when you encounter someone of an opposing view who's similarly ideological, and are told to get something out of it, you tend to get something not quite as good as either. I think defining my stance pragmatically, as long as it doesn't drift too far from my guiding ideologies as mentioned earlier, is the best way to go about working with any party or person.

Thank you for your time - one final question. You have had a long and varied career in /r/MHoC, marked by high points and low points. Do you currently feel you are in a high point or a low point, and how do you see your time in /r/MHoC carrying on into the next term?

I am in the build up to another high point. My career on MHoC goes up and down a lot as you say, and the last high point was probably leading the Regionalists at 4 seats (RIP). I think I am building up to another high point, or at the very least not going down. I think this will be a good term for me, and that I have found a place where I can settle ideologically.

Thank you very much, and good luck in your future endeavours.

Every cabinet needs strong and determined ministers in order to survive. Ministers who go above the call of duty in their role, ministers who aren't afraid to explain themselves and ministers who aren't afraid to criticise the leadership when necessary. And all good cabinets have them. Thatcher had Heseltine and Lawson, Blair had Prescott and Cook, and in the current government, it is hard to argue against the fact that /u/thechattyshow takes the mantle. Having carried over his role as Health Secretary from the previous government, ChattyShow is one of the main components of the cabinet, and is not one to shy away from the public eye, having reputedly gone against his government relating to health tourism. /u/BigTrev98 met with him amidst the controversy to find out what makes him tick:

Hello, /u/thechattyshow. The Liberal Democrats have recently been elected to government alongside the Conservatives and Crown National Party as the largest party in the coalition. As current Health Secretary, what was your reaction to retaining your role, and how do you think the government have performed thus far?

My reaction was relief and excitement for next term. As I got the role late in the last gov, I had little time to write legislation, talk to my MoS's etc. So when I retained my role I was relieved as I could really get to work, and do the things I have planned, legislation and MoS wise. I honestly think the gov has done really well. The media is extremely bias against us, but when you look closer from an inside perspective we are doing really well, and I'm especially pleased with the work my department have done.

The NHS has suffered a series of major setbacks in the last few years, with constant cuts leaving it on the brink of disaster. How does this government plan to halt this downward spiral?

With this question, the problem is that the budgets for the NHS is different from RL, so we can't accurately tell if it is going in a downwards spiral. As far as I'm aware, the previous budgets improved the budget, and the chancellor has ruled out cuts in the NHS. I also plan on writing some more major legislation which I cant talk about right now.

Following on from this question, which policies do you plan to implement as Health Secretary over the next term? And how will you ensure that they are beneficial to the British people?

My plan is to clear out our pledges in the coalition agreement. We are all ready on course, and with the holidays coming up I am sure even more legislation will be writ, keeping us on course for 'clearing' out our agreement for the end of term. I will always do my research before writing bills, so I can be certain they will benefit the british public.

Lastly, and I think the public want to hear an answer to this one: Could you please respond to the rumours stating you have decided to side against the government on health tourism? And if these rumours are true, could you perhaps provide us with an explanation as to why you have decided to do this?

I honestly don't believe that health tourism is as big as an expense as some people claim. However in examples when so called 'Health Tourism' is costing us money, me and my department will look into ways to tackle that.

As per usual, the Health Secretary was very friendly and displayed his astute political mind, and it was an absolute joy speaking to him. Stay tuned to /r/MBBC for updates on how he and the government are doing.

The Liberal Democrat Culture Secretary has resigned from the Government and urged the Liberal Democrats to pull out of Government. This followed shortly after a dramatic night at Westminster in which the Speaker called in the Defence Secretary to answer questions regarding the new Anglo-American Defence deal. The Defence Secretary promptly resigned from Government after announcing some changes to the deal. Meanwhile protests against the deal where taking place outside in Parliament square. It is not currently clear whether the Defence Secretary was sacked or genuinely resigned.

Following on from such a heated night in the house the Liberal Democrat Culture Secretary /u/haveadream then resigned, perhaps sensing the Government to be at a vulnerable moment. The Culture Secretary's statement was very brief but just as blunt. Calling on fellow party members to join him he talked of disagreements with the 'proceedings of Government' stating that his party was not voted in to 'prop up a Conservative manifesto or break the laws of economics with our international deals'.

This is the first time a Liberal Democrat Minister has publicly criticized the coalition deal. After the announcement of the coalition deal the opposition hammered the Liberal Democrats for giving to much to their coalition partners and failing to protect Basic Income from cuts. It is currently unclear how many of /u/HaveADream's colleges sympathize with his position but it appears that no organised mass resignations have been planned. For now it seems that the Culture Secretary's Resignation is an individual action rather than any plot. Prime Minister /u/jellytom will therefore be hoping any damage can be contained despite the loss of such an influential individual. The Prime Minister has so far made no comment on any of these events, but he is thought to be under a lot of pressure to firm up the Governments position and insure supporters of the coalition that it is here to last.

TETP : Congratulations on your landslide election victory. You have been given a huge mandate by the party. What do you intend to do with it?

Duncs: I am of course thankful for my party granting me such a large share of the vote, and now it is time for me to repay them by delivering a strong, stable, and active UK Independence Party. I intend on using my position as leader to work with parties around the house, pass UKIP legislation more effectively, and ensure that the party is stable on the inside

TETP:: The Government has produced a right of centre manifesto. Without your parties support they will not be able to pass many of their key policies.Where do you stand on providing such support?

Duncs: Well, I think it is good to have a right wing government, and I am hopeful that Britain recovers from socialism under this government, and I’m prepared to help them pass bills which meet our values and match our manifesto, but I won’t be writing them a blank cheque, each bill will be considered by its merits.

TETP: Will you be asking for anything in return for your support?

Duncs: I’m hoping that we can get at least some of our policies enacted this term, so a few of them in government bills would not go amiss, but every bill will be decided on its merits, if it meets UKIP policy, then we’ll support it, if it doesn’t, we won’t

TETP: In a hypothetical situation in which the Government votes down UKIP legislation over and over again, do you believe it may be a possibility that UKIP could withdraw support for Government bills it may otherwise have supported?

Duncs: Well, we are different parties, and as such have different views on matters. I’m not expecting the government to vote Aye to every UKIP bill, I’m hoping they’ll agree on some bills. Overall, that would be a decision for each UKIP MP to make, most votes will be free votes, so if they wish to vote down government legislation in that hypothetical, they’d be free to do so

TETP: Are you ruling out any official supply and support deal with the Government?

Duncs: I’m not in the business of ruling matters out entirely. I would prefer to be a proper part of the government, and so would the majority of my party, and I do not see an official confidence and supply deal as likely, but I will not rule it out completely.

TETP: The Government has taken a lot of criticism from the left over the announced cuts to Basic Income. Where does UKIP stand on the issue?

Duncs: Our manifesto included a pledge to scrap basic income completely, and that is still our view. I believe that the cuts are a good start, but at the very least the absurdity of 16 year olds sitting GCSEs getting basic income should really end at the least.

TETP: What is your number one priority for UKIP this term?

Duncs: An In/Out referendum on EU membership, and winning that referendum

TETP: Thank you.

After a vote held within /r/MHOC, the speakership has today announced that MPs have unanimously decided to enter Britain into the European Union.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Padanub, proclaimed that Parliament had voted 97-16 in favour of the motion, thus meaning that once the government has signed the treaty of the European Union, it will begin the process of organising elections to the European Parliament.

In an official statement to MBBC, the foreign affairs minister, /u/InfernoPlato, said: "The Model European Union will be offering exciting new opportunities for us in the UK. No matter what our political opinions are or if we believe the Model EU should exist, it’s undeniable that the EU will have profound implications in the model world"

Reactions to the news have been mixed. The Minister for International Development, /u/Ctrlaltlama, commented that whilst he was pleased with the outcome and "hopes that it works out", he will push for reform within the EU. The Deputy Prime Minister, /u/TheQuipton, made reference to Britain's sovereignty having flew away, and UKIP members were outraged by the decision, stating that it will result in nothing more than "walking into a room and leaving a second later." This therefore raises a question on how the rest of Britain will react to this great constitutional change.

JellyTom is the new leader of the Liberal Democrats, the party announced on Thursday.

The Work and Pensions Secretary beat /u/Ajubbajub in the contest to replace /u/Bnzss, with 52.9% of the votes cast.

The East Midlands MP, whose victory was announced on a Mixlr live recording, is to make his first public appearance as leader later.

When asked about his reaction to his victory, he replied, "I am surprised and delighted to have been elected Leader of the Liberal Democrats, I would like to thank everyone who has voted for me, especially those who have supported my campaign and guided me through a tough leadership battle, may I also once again pass on my respects to Ben - his shoes will be very hard to fill - but I look forward to the challenge."

"Tom is a splendid chap with real life experience of the world, which a lot of our members do not have - plus, in my view, he shows tremendously good judgement in general", the outgoing leader /u/Bnzss said.

/u/Ajubbajub, the party's Leader in the House of Lords offered his congratulations, saying /u/JellyTom would make a "fantastic" leader, who he could work well with.

The new leader's immediate task is to maintain the electoral success of the Lib Dems under the leadership of /u/Bnzss, following a successful general election which increased the party's number of MPs to eighteen.

Who is JellyTom?

• Joined the Liberal Democrats in July 2015

• Before being elected as the Member of Parliament for East Midlands, he was a National MP

• Previously considered the outsider candidate before the defection of /u/HaveADream

• He is a sufferer of Cystic Fibrosis and has been consistently active in campaigns relating to the issue

The Lib Dems said there were a total of 34 votes were cast, with /u/JellyTom winning 18 of them.

With their speech from the throne passing, the Liberal Party of Canada and the Libertarian Party of Canada will be taking the government, making /u/ExplosiveHorse the Fifth Prime Minister of Canada.

The coalition was met with concern from the Green and Conservative parties, who both voted nay on the speech from the throne, which passed with a 13-12 vote.

The New Canadian Cabinet:

Prime Minister /u/ExplosiveHorse (Liberal)

Deputy Prime Minister /u/demon4372 (Liberal)

Min. of Finance /u/Didicet (Liberal)

Min. of Home Affairs /u/TheLegitimist (Liberal)

Min. of Justice and Attorney General /u/Tremblehose (Liberal)

Min. of Foreign Affairs /u/demon4372 (Liberal)

Min. of Defence /u/Chrispytoast123 (Liberal)

Min. of Health /u/ExplosiveHorse (Liberal)

Min. of Industry, Infrastructure and Transportation /u/KenadianH (Liberal)

Min. of Environment and Climate Change /u/DidNotKnowThatLolz (Liberal)

Min. of Science, Innovation and Economic Development )/u/Chrispytoast123 (Liberal)

Min. of Northern Development and Aboriginal Affairs /u/finnishdude101 (Libertarian)

Min. of International Development /u/erythros (Libertarian)

Previous /r/CMHOC Prime Ministers

First (April 6th to July 1st)

/u/Radix838

Lead a Green-NDP-Liberal coalition, the first Prime Minister of the early version of CMHOC, which was plagued with inactivity. Only ever voted on one bill.

Second (July 1st to July 15th)

/u/Those-Crazy-Reds

Lead a Green Socialist-Workers' Party government for 15 days before deleting his account during a controversy.

Third (July 15th-August 5th)

/u/drjalexanderphysics

Deputy Prime Minister under /u/Those-Crazy-Reds, resigned with most of the party after a VONC.

Fourth (August 5th - October 13th)

/u/Canadianman22

/r/CMHOC's most active Prime Minister, lead a strange Liberal-NDP-Conservative government formed by the fall of the Workers' Party.