E-petitions urge MPs debate return of death penalty

 

Petitions with more than 100,000 supporters could be debated by MPs

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 campaigners calling for it.
Other suggestions include leaving the EU, anonymity for rape defendants and limiting jail food to bread and water.
Petitions gaining more than 100,000 signatures could lead to a full debate in the House of Commons.
The government has warned MPs not to "ignore" the public's suggestions.
Forty of the first 169 petitions published call for the return of capital punishment and several say the UK should leave the European Union or withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.
However, seven call for the death penalty not to be reinstated.
One petition recommends the televising of court proceedings and another that the price of alcohol be increased.
One demands that prisoners' diets be restricted to bread and water, as in the "good old days", another that bodybuilding should be encouraged to improve the nation's health.
'Strong opinions' Among the list of 154 rejected petitions, most relate to sport on TV, the majority calling for Formula One to be kept on free-to-air terrestrial stations.
But several such demands are included among those published for the public to sign up to.Thanks
Any petition signed by more than 100,000 UK citizens goes to the cross-party Commons Backbench Business Committee, which will decide whether it is worthy of debate.
This does not mean any parliamentary bills will be tabled as a result, simply that the matter will be discussed.
BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said only six days were potentially available between now and next April for MPs to debate the public's suggestions.
Within minutes of launching, the e-petitions site experienced problems, as some users were told: "We are very sorry, but we were unable to complete your last action. We have been notified about the problem and will resolve it as quickly as possible."
Any petition deemed to be libellous, offensive, duplicates of existing open petitions or not related to government will be rejected.
Moderators will also block any that concern honours and appointments.
But Labour have said the petitions could lead to debates on "crazy ideas".
The system replaces the previous e-petitions pages on the Downing Street website, set up when Tony Blair was PM.
The most popular of these, with more than 1.8 million people in support, opposed road pricing.
More than 70,000 backed the one-word suggestion that Gordon Brown should "resign".
And almost 50,000 signed up to the idea that TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson should become prime minister.