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13 February 2007

A fundamental right in any democracy

From the Bill of Rights 1689:
That the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament;
The elected representatives of the people enjoy a right of free speech in British parliamentary democracy for a reason. It prevents them from being intimidated by outside or inside forces.

Parliament itself, as reaffirmed in the Bill of Rights, must hold to account the Crown and the executive.

In any established western democracy, members of the legislature enjoy some measure of immunity from prosecution and a virtually untrammelled right of free speech.