Lawmaking in Britain is becoming worse
Hasty drafting, less scrutiny, more errors
When civil servants in Britain first learn about how laws are made, they are given a board game. “Legislate?!” was devised by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, which drafts government legislation. The players roll dice and move counters as they steer legislation around Whitehall and through Parliament. They turn over cards revealing the hurdles of the system. “Forget to signify Queen’s Consent. Go back 2 spaces.” “New programme motion needed. Miss a turn.” The first player to have their policy become the law of the land wins.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Bad laws”
From the November 11th 2023 edition
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