How to stop the retrospective legislation

It is unknown if Labour is going to advance with its plans to retrospectively legislate to wipe out the debts owed by Labour MPs to the taxpayer. If they do, I certainly look forward to the select committee hearings.

Matthew Hooton writing in the SST suggests a range of measures National MPs could try to stop such retrospective legislation – bearing in mind it would be the most corrupt law you could pass short of extending one’s electoral term without a mandate.

Hooton suggests several steps for National:

* Walking out of Parliament
* Boycotting Parliament
* Ask the Governor-General not to give Royal Assent
* Have National’s electorate MPs resign in protest, one by one with by-elections across the country until the government folds

The by-election idea is very interesting. One could start with National’s most marginal seat and justify it on the grounds of allowing the public to vote on the acceptability of such retrospective legislation.