ktlight
3rd August 2011, 08:27
FYI:
Mr Staines hopes to force a vote on the issue in parliament by gathering 100,000 signatures in support of the restoration of capital punishment for people who kill children or police officers.
Coun Potter said: "Bring it on. Give these murderers the option of the noose, the electric chair or lethal injection.
"I think the vast majority would back this campaign. People are disgusted and appalled by those who murder vulnerable people such as children, or those who work to try and protect the public, like the police."
Coun Meghani, who wrote about his support for the campaign on social networking website Twitter, said he backed the reintroduction of capital punishment for people who killed more than once.
He said: "I would have no compunction in using the death penalty on someone who kills multiple times, such as the recent massacre in Norway.
"It's a complicated issue but I'm in favour of capital punishment in some circumstances.
"I think it may be wrong to restrict the death penalty solely to the murderers of children and police, because that gives some lives more value than others. But multiple killers should be eligible for execution."
Coun Potter, who represents Hamilton, and Coun Meghani, who represents Beaumont Leys, are two of three Leicester City Council representatives on Leicestershire Police Authority.
The third, Labour councillor Lynn Senior, said she was against the death penalty in all circumstances.
Police authority chairman Barry Roper said: "It's a difficult one to call. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
"I'd like to hear all arguments on the issue before deciding."
The death penalty was abolished in 1965.
People will be able to start adding their signature to the campaign shortly, when the petition is launched on the Government's new e-petition website.
Under new Government rules, if an e-petition on its website collects 100,000 signatures it will trigger a formal Commons debate and vote in parliament.
Mr Staines, 44, who blogs under the pseudonym Guido Fawkes, is spearheading the campaign.
He said: "The support for the death penalty is much bigger than politicians realise. MPs are out of touch with the public on this issue.
"If we could get enough signatures for a parliamentary debate it would be the first time that capital punishment has been debated in parliament since the Thatcher years."
Labour MPs Keith Vaz (Leicester East) and Jon Ashworth (Leicester South) and Tory North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen all told the Mercury they were against bringing back capital punishment.
Some MPs elsewhere in the country have voiced their support for the campaign.
Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, in West Yorkshire, said: "It's something where, once again, the public are a long way ahead of the politicians. I'd go further and restore it for all murderers."
Priti Patel, Tory MP for Witham, in Essex, said: "It's about time the public had a greater say on the issues that we debate."
A YouGov poll in September 2010 found 51 per cent of respondents supported the death penalty for murder, and 37 per cent opposed it.
Support for the death penalty was higher for specific crimes, such as the murder of a police officer, murder of a child or multiple murders.
A later poll, in November 2010, found 74 per cent of respondents supported the death penalty for murder in some circumstances.
Enderby resident Ray Marston, 62, said he supported the idea.
He said: "People would think twice about killing if they knew they'd lose their own lives as a result, rather than spend time in a cushy jail."
But Ian Langham, 20, of Narborough Road, Leicester, said: "It's got pros and cons.
"Killing murderers would satisfy many people's desire for revenge, but mistakes can happen."
source
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Leicestershire-Police-Authority-duo-capital/story-13055384-detail/story.html
Mr Staines hopes to force a vote on the issue in parliament by gathering 100,000 signatures in support of the restoration of capital punishment for people who kill children or police officers.
Coun Potter said: "Bring it on. Give these murderers the option of the noose, the electric chair or lethal injection.
"I think the vast majority would back this campaign. People are disgusted and appalled by those who murder vulnerable people such as children, or those who work to try and protect the public, like the police."
Coun Meghani, who wrote about his support for the campaign on social networking website Twitter, said he backed the reintroduction of capital punishment for people who killed more than once.
He said: "I would have no compunction in using the death penalty on someone who kills multiple times, such as the recent massacre in Norway.
"It's a complicated issue but I'm in favour of capital punishment in some circumstances.
"I think it may be wrong to restrict the death penalty solely to the murderers of children and police, because that gives some lives more value than others. But multiple killers should be eligible for execution."
Coun Potter, who represents Hamilton, and Coun Meghani, who represents Beaumont Leys, are two of three Leicester City Council representatives on Leicestershire Police Authority.
The third, Labour councillor Lynn Senior, said she was against the death penalty in all circumstances.
Police authority chairman Barry Roper said: "It's a difficult one to call. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
"I'd like to hear all arguments on the issue before deciding."
The death penalty was abolished in 1965.
People will be able to start adding their signature to the campaign shortly, when the petition is launched on the Government's new e-petition website.
Under new Government rules, if an e-petition on its website collects 100,000 signatures it will trigger a formal Commons debate and vote in parliament.
Mr Staines, 44, who blogs under the pseudonym Guido Fawkes, is spearheading the campaign.
He said: "The support for the death penalty is much bigger than politicians realise. MPs are out of touch with the public on this issue.
"If we could get enough signatures for a parliamentary debate it would be the first time that capital punishment has been debated in parliament since the Thatcher years."
Labour MPs Keith Vaz (Leicester East) and Jon Ashworth (Leicester South) and Tory North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen all told the Mercury they were against bringing back capital punishment.
Some MPs elsewhere in the country have voiced their support for the campaign.
Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, in West Yorkshire, said: "It's something where, once again, the public are a long way ahead of the politicians. I'd go further and restore it for all murderers."
Priti Patel, Tory MP for Witham, in Essex, said: "It's about time the public had a greater say on the issues that we debate."
A YouGov poll in September 2010 found 51 per cent of respondents supported the death penalty for murder, and 37 per cent opposed it.
Support for the death penalty was higher for specific crimes, such as the murder of a police officer, murder of a child or multiple murders.
A later poll, in November 2010, found 74 per cent of respondents supported the death penalty for murder in some circumstances.
Enderby resident Ray Marston, 62, said he supported the idea.
He said: "People would think twice about killing if they knew they'd lose their own lives as a result, rather than spend time in a cushy jail."
But Ian Langham, 20, of Narborough Road, Leicester, said: "It's got pros and cons.
"Killing murderers would satisfy many people's desire for revenge, but mistakes can happen."
source
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Leicestershire-Police-Authority-duo-capital/story-13055384-detail/story.html