AS Revision: Constitutional Reform

It seems very much like a case of if it’s Tuesday it must be Cameron’s turn. But the Tory leader’s announcement on constitutional reforms provides a rich vein of material for those studying for the UK government papers.

There is a major battle at the moment between the various party big hitters to position themselves as the person with a plan to shake up the political system and restore the public’s trust in the democratic process - all part of the continued fallout from the MPs’ expenses scandal. Reference to the content of Cameron’s speech is well worth doing.

A summary of the points is provided by the Guardian here (some of you will recognise that they echo the themes laid out by a certain Gordon Brown in his first speech to Parliament following his accession to the premiership):

‘• Limit the power of the prime minister by giving serious consideration to introducing fixed-term parliaments, ending the right of Downing Street to control the timing of general elections.

• End the “pliant” role of parliament by giving MPs free votes during the consideration of bills at committee stage. MPs would also be handed the crucial power of deciding the timetable of bills.

• Boost the power of backbench MPs – and limit the powers of the executive – by allowing MPs to choose the chairs and members of Commons select committees.

• Open up the legislative process to outsiders by sending out text alerts on the progress of parliamentary bills and by posting proceedings on YouTube.

• Curb the power of the executive by limiting the use of the royal prerogative which allows the prime minister, in the name of the monarch, to make major ­decisions. Gordon Brown is making sweeping changes in this area in the constitutional renewal bill, but Cameron says he would go further.

• Publish the expenses claims of all public servants earning more than £150,000.

• Strengthen local government by giving councils the power of “competence”. This would allow councils to reverse Whitehall decisions to close popular services, such as a local post office or a railway station, by giving them the power to raise money to keep them open.’

If you’ve got this far you may also be interested in an article by Chris Mullin MP on his views for reforming the House of Commons.