In the, hopefully extremely unlikely, event this bill gets passed and enters the statute book, I will be ashamed to call myself an Englishman.

Mr Hollowbrain (sorry, Hollobone) puts forward a lot of daft bills that have no chance of ever being debated much less becoming law.

Here's a few of his.

There has to be something very wrong with our democracy when an idiot like this gets elected,

That does not look right.

I meant you are obviously an intelligent man and can project a good argument. You also appear to have a lot more common sense than a lot of British MP's.

Ever thought about standing?

Algerian peter

I'll take that question seriously.

I wouldn't consider standing for parliament because, as I said, our system is such that idiots can get elected just by standing for a party that is in favour in the constituency concerned.

Hollobone is what you might call a classic conservative Conservative. He believes in conscription, wants the UK out of the EU, thinks the burqa should be banned and is a committed Baptist.

Oh, and he got divorced earlier this year.

The only reason he gets any attention is that parliamentary procedure includes this farce of giving the appearance that individual members can get laws passed. The time spent going through the motions with this bill is wasted and that means time is wasted.

(Some important laws do emerge from back-benchers but, once the ballot has taken place, the rest don't have a hope. That's why I say it's a waste of time and money dealing with them.)

spuds

The day after capital punishment is reintroduced in this country you can film me dancing naked in Trafalgar square.

I'm astonished that there's still anyone who actually believes that there's the faintest chance of us ever going back to having the death penalty.