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The Downing Street petitions website

Started by aaaaaaaaaargh!, June 08, 2007, 11:45:04 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Should we start some type of CaB petition?

Yes
19 (59.4%)
No
11 (34.4%)
I am a bit of a willy who selected this option for the "comedy"
12 (37.5%)

Total Members Voted: 32

Link to the list of open petitions, sorted by number of signatories

Presumably most of you will have heard of this by now (what with the story about road pricing earlier this year), but has anyone used it?  The range of issues covered on this site is truly mind boggling.  Most of them are serious, but there are a few loz, random ones there too.

There are some petitions arguing for something (such as the repeal of the hunting ban legislation) with other petitions asking the prime minister to ignore some petitions (such as the petition to ignore the hunting ban repeal petition).  It's total chaos, but it's interesting to see what hobby horses people have.

The third most popular petition at the moment is the one requesting continuing funding for the Red Arrows.  The fourth one was sparked off by a scare story about a "mega mosque" supposedly being planned and built in East London.  One of the lolz, random ones on the front page is to make Jeremy Clarkson Prime Minister.

I think it might be an idea for us on here to agree on a petition and then get the ball rolling.  Over to you folks.




Pseudopath

There are some truly scary (and worryingly popular) petitions on that site, including the obligatory "Ban Speed Cameras" hullabaloo and it seems that most of the petitions have been set up in direct response to Have Your Say articles.

I can't help but think that a successful petition to "Ban the Daily Mail" would scupper most of the petitions on that site anyway. However, most liberal-minded people are probably far too busy taking drugs, reading philosophy and selflessly giving orgasms to their unabused partners to contribute.

"Ban the Daily Mail and all the tedious petitions that its readers generate" would be a nicely provocative petition.  There are flipping loads of knight/dame this and that person on there

glitch

I signed the "prevent Scientology from getting charity/religion status" and the "ban Scientology completely" ones.

Most of them are a fucking joke though.

katzenjammer

Has one of these petitions ever actually achieved anything? 

Yes, the one against road charging elicited a response from Tony Blair himself, saying why he would not be listening to any one of the people who signed it.

Alberon

The tories have apparently suggested that each time a petition reaches a certain number of signatures that an automatic debate and vote should be triggered in Parliament.

Though surely that means some deliberatly nonsense ones will go through like changing the title of the Prime Minister to "Chief Gurner" or something. Or even worse, wasting parliament time on misinformed nonsense, like the one about the Mega-Mosque* mentioned above.

I have actually signed a petition a while back (a friend of mine can't get UK citizenship coz her British dad never married her American Mum (or is that Mom?)). It does seem pointless as it stands though. At the moment, it has probably less influence than the BBC 'Have Your Say' page. It's like a website was set up by the government to allow people to blow off steam without doing anything to address their issues.


*I misread that as Mecha-Mosque when I first saw it. That would have been cool.

Quote from: katzenjammer on June 08, 2007, 01:44:46 PM
Has one of these petitions ever actually achieved anything? 

Apparently the Tattoo the foreheads of all convicted paedophiles with a large letter P is getting a favourable reception in Downing Street at present

Shoulders?-Stomach!

I'd like all children to be marked with a C on their foreheads. Or else we'll never know where they all are.

katzenjammer

I suppose the real reason for the site is that it stops those annoying paper petitions which run to several boxes full being delived to no. 10 a couple of times a week.  These virtual lists are much easier to ignore.




Neil

[tag]Dibble scribble if kiddy fiddle[/tag]

InfiniteFury

How about a call for an independent government inquiry into the state of British comedy?

Blumf


http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/whatweallwant/#detail

I'm sure stuff like this has to be made up.  Forcible repatriation of the Boosh is a good idea.

SOTS

Quote from: aaaaaaaaaargh! on June 08, 2007, 02:15:20 PM
This one is completely barmy

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Enough-is-Enough/

...is enough, I can't go on, I can't go on no more, no!"

That's what that petition should say.

Quote from: SOTS on June 09, 2007, 02:03:49 AM
...is enough, I can't go on, I can't go on no more, no!"

That's what that petition should say.

If you feel that strongly about it, set up the petition saying that!

Mr. Analytical

That Enough is Enough one is superb.  I'm tempted to start a petition that children should be banned entirely from TV for "safety" reasons just to see how many people sign it.

SOTS

Quote from: aaaaaaaaaargh! on June 09, 2007, 09:52:44 AM
If you feel that strongly about it, set up the petition saying that!

I have! It has to be approved by Downing Street though so it has no chance.

I just signed the one about photography as I actually support that one. And the Faith schools one.

Quote from: SOTS on June 09, 2007, 07:04:42 PM
I have! It has to be approved by Downing Street though so it has no chance.

Does it have to be approved by Downing Street to get up on the site in the first place?  If so, I would've thought that this would be a cursory check to make sure you're not putting up something like "legalise murder" or something.  If this and this get up there I'm sure your one will (unless it was advocating the legalisation of murder).

buttgammon

The best part of the 'Webby' one is this:

QuoteSo far, only Daniel Webster, the Petition Creator, has signed this petition.

Suttonpubcrawl

I remember suggesting a while back that people should sign the petition against ID cards on that website. Several posters surprised me by revealing an idiotic streak I didn't know they had when they started saying things about not wanting to sign it in case the government took their names down and used this list of names to menace people. The pure, ridiculous idiocy of thinking that still annoys me.

Geraint

quite depressing to see that one of the most popular current petitions is one to "petition the Prime Minister to encourage people to get their five a day by cutting taxation on healthy fruit smoothies and juices to 5%", submitted by a Mr Innocent Drinks. i don't so much mind the nonsense petitions not getting strictly moderated but using it for viral marketing is pretty fucking low.

SOTS

BOO!

QuoteHi,

    I'm sorry to inform you that your petition has been rejected.

    Your petition was classed as being in the following categories:

       * Wording that is impossible to understand

       * Intended to be humorous, or has no point about government
    policy

    If you wish to edit and resubmit your petition, please follow
    the following link:
    http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/EnoughIsEnough2/CxJg3aDEojStBlHq5BAQSfQ

    You have four weeks in which to do this, after which your
    petition will appear in the list of rejected petitions.

    Your petition reads:

    We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to: 'Enough is
    Enough...'

    is enough, I can't go on, I can't go on no more NO!

    -- the ePetitions team.

buttgammon

Uh oh! I've probably gone and got myself executed in the event of this country turning into a dictatorship (unelected Head of State? Unthinkable(!)), but I submitted a petition attempting to end all petitions.

Quote from: 10 Downing StreetPlease click on the link below to confirm that you wish the
    Number 10 website to display the petition at the bottom of this
    email in your name.

    http://*******************************************

    Your petition reads:

    We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to End petitions

    We the undersigned would like to address the Prime Minister
    personally to tell him that discourse has become too
    commonplace. This petitions website was the final straw. The
    whole nature of these petitions is merely to address pointless
    issues which could be easily dealt with on their own accord,
    and are an example of how cowardly our country has become. I
    propose that this website should not be allowed to carry on
    petitioning in this way, and measures to curb this and other
    subversive methods to overturn our society should be taken.

    Thank you for submitting your petition.

    [ This email has been automatically sent by the Number 10
    petitions system ]

Anon

Quote from: buttgammon on June 15, 2007, 06:46:42 PM
Uh oh! I've probably gone and got myself executed in the event of this country turning into a dictatorship (unelected Head of State? Unthinkable(!)), but I submitted a petition attempting to end all petitions.


You do realise that that'll be the one they actually think isn't too bad an idea, right?

Fry

This si my favourite!

"continue the support for faith schools and to ensure that in all schools the teaching of traditional 'faith' views of origins is included alongside the more recent scientific 'theories' which many scientists 'believe'."

'believe'. They are only saying ti to annoy you.

Borboski

I'm lost in the last two months.  I have friends that work in senior positions in the treasury, and friends who are incredibly educated and intelligent in the non-central government public service, all of whom with different views and I'm left without a steer.

My current view is that in the world of crime&disorder and childrens services we're building excellent, absolutely excellent systems, but I don't have barometers for testing these.

buttgammon

Quote from: Anon on June 15, 2007, 10:58:32 PM
You do realise that that'll be the one they actually think isn't too bad an idea, right?

Of course. It's just a ploy to get it published by trying to appeal to my audience - the people who actually get paid to scrutinise these things.