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Creative minister to step down, Live Bill progresses
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 4 February 2010
Creative Industries Minister Sion Simon has announced he will step down as an MP and leave government in order to run for the role of elected mayor of Birmingham. It’s not clear whether he’s realised that no such position actually exists.
But it’s surely certain that the reason he has decided not to run in the upcoming General Election has nothing to do with the fact he was forced to pay back 21 grand following last year’s MPs expenses scandal, money he used to pay rent on a flat owned by his sister.
In his junior ministerial role Simon has been involved in presenting the much previously reported and three-strikes proposing Digital Economy Bill to parliament. Some have asked whether his decision to leave government will have an impact on the Bill. Well, I can answer that question. No. It won’t.
In other pop parliament news, the Live Music Bill proposed by Lib Dem Lord Tim Clement-Jones will get its third reading in the House Of Lords on 9 Feb after no changes were proposed at the Bill’s report stage. This is the bill that proposes a number of changes to the 2003 Licensing Act to make it easier for small venues to stage music events.
With the Bill now set to head to the House Of Commons for consideration some are asking whether, despite being Lib Dem proposals, this legislation could now become law. I can answer that question too. No. It won’t.
