[title]Family quotes[/title] [description]Welcome to our family quotes section! Here you'll find some of the funniest (and wisest) quotes on the subject of family life![/description]
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Latest post Tue, Feb 21 2006 11:05 AM by nona the brit. 1 replies.
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Lindasu  +  199208 Tue, 21 Feb 06 05:33 AM

Hi all,

Hi all,

The article below is from BBC News, I would be much appreciated that if someone could explain to me the meaning of phrases in red and purple color. thank you!

" In Britain, members of parliament are expected to vote shortly on whether to impose a ban on smoking in public places in England and how far that ban should go. This report from Elizabeth Blunt:

 

Britain's Labour government is having a difficult week. It has a big majority in parliament but the leadership still can't get MPs to pass laws in the form it wants. Labour rebels have already been trying to water down legislation on identity cards. Now they want to make a proposed smoking ban tougher.

 

But it was prepared to make an exception for private members' clubs, and bars and pubs which don't serve food. But the chairman of the parliamentary health committee Kevin Barron, says that's not good enough. He wants no exceptions, and says he has a lot of support.

The argument is that as soon as there are loopholes, people will exploit them, turning bars, for instance, into nominally private clubs. The new law in its final form is expected to come into force in the middle of next year. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joined on Wed, Nov 30 2005
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nona the brit  +  199289 Tue, 21 Feb 06 11:05 AM

The parliament will be voting soon on a new piece of legislation -expected to vote- just a roundabout way of saying will vote.

Labour rebels - Labour is the name of the political party introducing the bill. The rebels are the MPs of that party who do not agree with the official party line.

Water down - weaken

legislation on id cards - we don't have ID cards in the UK but the government is planning to introduce them

proposed smoking ban tougher - the government wants to ban smoking in public places.It is unclear here whether the government or the rebels want the new law to be tougher.

make an exception - exclude from the smoking ban

the parliamentary health committee - a group of MPs who have a particular interest and influence over health issues

nominally private clubs.- if private clubs are excluded from the ban, other public clubs will try to get round the rules by becoming 'nominally' private clubs - they will meet the conditions to the minimum degree so will not really be private, just using it as a way to get round the legislation

in its final form is expected to come into force in the middle of next year. " - the new law - once every one has agreed what that should be - will be in effect from the middle of next year.

Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004
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