Will this matter get a favourable debate?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....te-death-penalty.html

Since the e-petition attracted 100,000 signatures there must be a large number of people in agreement on bringing back capital punishment.

Why is it that Right-Wing are the most interested for it to be re-introduced, but generally it is rejected by the Left-Wing?

[bednobs]

i would guess because left-wingers are more liberal than right wingers

[bednobs]

ps it might well get a debate, but it wont get a favourable debate - it would be political suicide to "bring back" the death penalty.

[hc4361]

100,000 is a tiny proportion of the population, assuming they are all valid, individual signatures in the first place.

No chance of the death penalty in the UK.

[starone]

Personally I am in favour. There is less likelihood of mistakes now that we have DNA and other things like scene of crime investigators and more efficient pathology. What is the point of keeping people like the Yorkshire Ripper alive - they are of no use to humanity at all and are definitely guilty.

[anneasquith]

whether debated or not. i cant see it ever being passed .

[starone]

Continuation: I also agree that it is not very likely to occur and another question that pops up is how would it be done and who would do it? (that's actually two questions).

[ummmm]

Because two wrongs do not make a right....

[factor-fiction]

I can't see it ever being reintroduced, even if 10 million people signed a petition.
Anyway, as a member of the EC (or whatever it's called now) we have to abide by the Human Rights Act and I doubt that allows capital punishment.

[conewood]

With the police/CSA still making big errors despite advances in technology, the chances of an innocent person being jailed are still significant.

The death penalty question is often asked emotionally rather than rationally - police / child / nice person / etc killers are named.

Classic cases like the Birmingham six, who were 'definitely' guilty of killing all those young people and then shown later to be innocent with evidence fixed by the police and defence information suppressed. What kind of justice is it if you hang the wrong person for the crime and the real culprit goes free. And if you later find you killed the wrong 'criminal' - how does that help the family of the murdered person?

[hc4361]

That is true, Factor30

On 27 January 1999 the UK Home Secretary formally signed the 6th protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights in Strasbourg, on behalf of the British government formally abolishing the death penalty in the UK.

[pa___ul3]

as a hand-wringing pinky lefty or whatever we get called, I'd behappy to see it reintroduced for extreme circumstances that are proven beyond doubt. Of course that's easier said than done but I think there have been instances of pure evil in the last few years and the perpetrators should never see the light of day again so it would save a few bob.
It is going back to the dark days but some actions merit this kind of punishment, I don't think I need to spell out which.

[hc4361]

It wouldn't necessarily save money though.
In the USA the cost of executing one person can be over 20 million dollars.

[Old_Geezer]

I concur with ummmm.

Whilst if we had a real democracy we'd discover we are still be a primitive enough people to have a death penalty. One of the rare advantages to not being so is that occasionally those in charge do the morally right thing despite the majority opinion. Although it sticks in the craw to admit it.

[modeller]

I voted on most of the polls and discovered I was the same as the majority
of the other participants . Which rather shows how out of touch our MPs and the vocal minorities are.
However I don't know if your question is a valid assumption .
//Why is it that Right-Wing are the most interested for it to be re-introduced, but generally it is rejected by the Left-Wing?//
I think many on the left would like there views to be aired.

[conewood]

@old_geezer. Exactly right. We choose a parliament to consider things in a rational manner. not to make a knee-jerk emotional response. And yes, looking at the politicians we currently have makes that last statement open to cynicism and satire, but it is nonetheless a principle I think very important. There will be people in prison who are guilty of the foulest crimes and we can come up with any number of examples. However, if we succumb to a lynch-mob mentality, we will end up the losers and will be lesser people because of it.

[pa___ul3]

hc, I'm not doubting you but do you know why it would cost so much?

[venator]

Don't worry, when we get a Muslim majority population and Shariah law, there will be executions in the redundant football grounds. :-) smile please...