meanwhile, across the pond...
The BBC reports that Kucinich's Department of Peace idea has inspired a British movement for a Ministry of Peace in the UK. The first bill towards this end was introduced today
A new idea came to the House of Commons on its first day back after the conferences.
The Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, John McDonnell, has tabled a bill to set up a Ministry of Peace.
Mr McDonnell MP told BBC Parliament his Ten Minute Rule Bill comes at a crucial time to, "influence the manifestos of all political parties", in the run up to a general election.
"The idea of the bill is to launch a consultation on different models of peace around the World," he continued.
He says he is building on the momentum of new ideas encouraged by the conferences and claims cross-party support.
Big Brother
George Orwell first aired the idea of a Ministry of Peace in his 1947 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four as a parody of the Ministry of Defence - established in the previous year.
But John Mcdonnell rejects criticisms of Orwellian fantasies and a burgeoning bureaucracy.
He said: "The use of language is important if we want to move ground in the area of conflict resolution."
And he explained the new ministry would: "consolidate and develop existing initiatives and increase parliamentary accountability."
The Labour left-winger referred to the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, a little-known body formed in 2001 to bring together the work of the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development.
He described today's Commons' motion as, "a step-up to the next platform".
American influence
A Ministry for Peace lobby has been growing in Westminster since earlier this year.
John McDonnell and fellow peaceniks came across American legislation for a Department of Peace in the search for a settlement in the wake of the Iraq War.
Presidential contender Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Congressman, launched his bid for the new branch of government in July 2001 and his bill is now passing though the House of Representatives with 48 co-sponsors.
With two Commons' meetings under their belt the Ministry for Peace group in the UK has also produced a website to stimulate discussion and has sent out questionnaires to about 400 interested organisations and individuals.
The next public meeting for the Ministry of Peace will be held in the Grand Committee Room in the Houses of Parliament on 29 October at 1900BST.
And the Ministry of Peace Bill will receive its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday 21 November.
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