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I'm from the UK. The reason the British government can propose such outrageous laws is because a) we don't have a functioning opposition party capable of challenging or scrutinising the Government. The Labour party is completely spineless and ineffectual; and b) that lack of opposition has emboldened the Government to push through some of the most invasive surveillance laws in the Western World. The British Prime Minster, Theresa May, has a nasty authoritarian streak - she had it when she was Home Secretary responsible for domestic security, and she has it now with even more zeal as the Prime Minister.

If you picture in your minds eye the most dysfunctional, deceitful, lunatic-filled version of politics you could possibly imagine, you still won't come close to the giant sinkhole that is British politics right now. Utterly depressing.

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I would dare say that the other reason is that pesky "parliamentary sovereignty" doctrine, where the Parliament can legally do literally anything by a simple majority. People often say that UK has a constitution, and indeed it does - but what's forgotten is that it doesn't bind the Parliament in any legal way.

Of course, in practice, they are limited by what the public lets them get away with, same as any other government. But that is an extremely low bar.

The Labour party was, until pretty recently, overrun with exactly the same kinds of authoritarians (e.g. Yvette Cooper) and they're sabotaging the current leadership in a bid to get back power.

Honestly I hope they succeed, and from the ashes, we get a Labour/centre-left party with some actual integrity and credibility, because this current one has none and wouldn't get back into power anyway. Corbyn seems okay, but he seems to be stuck in the difficult position of leading a party of delusional Blairite idiots who think the people want the Labour party to go more to the right.

This is nothing to do with the opposition. The political culture of the UK when it comes to security and civil liberties is completely authoritarian on both sides of the house (and in the media). 'Security' trumps all. This is a problem a long time in the making and will take either a) a great big negative shock or b) many years of education to correct.

Not sure if hyperbole, or if you missed the U.S. election cycle. However, I assure you, many people can imagine most dysfunctional, deceitful, lunatic-filled version of politics and are in fact watching it unfold in front of them...

US citizen here. I can confirm this claim (and was thinking the exact same thing when I read that).

Edit: Also, "unfold" is a more polite verb than I would have used there.

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