Blog

I was really pleased to take part in Phil Moorhouse’s podcast (A Different Bias) – if you like this one, you might consider subscribing.  And as I say on the Podcast – if you’re a Labour supporter and also support PR, please join Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform

Links:

A Different Bias – https://www.youtube.com/@ADifferentBias

Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform  –https://labourforelectoralreform.org.uk

A Democracy that works – draft 1 framework

• Introduction
• What’s wrong with what we’ve got
  1. Government by Prime Minister
  2. Abuse of Royal Prerogative
  3. Henry VIII powers
  4. Secondary legislation
  5. Bill Committees
  6. Impotence of House of Lords
  7. Lack of independent scrutiny by outside bodies
  8. Prime Ministerial Patronage
  9. Party Incentive & Focus
  10. Media bias
  11. Regional inequality
  12. Lack of objective decision-making
• What do we want
  1. Representatives who represent
  2. Representatives we can trust
  3. Laws on their own merit
  4. Government that listens and acts
  5. Holding to Account
  6. Open, honest and effective appointments
  7. An End to Corruption
  8. Independent Oversight of Elections
  9. Knowledge and understanding for the voters
  10. Geographic sensitivity and Equity
• Local & Regional Government
  1. Subsidiarity
  2. Effective scale of competence
  3. Accountability and representation
  4. Decision hierarchies
  5. Guaranteed powers
• A House of Commons that works
  1. MPs representative role
  2. MPs involvement in Policy development
  3. Private Members Bills
  4. Voting power
  5. Whip v Conscience
  6. Power to change Government
• Scrutiny & Regulation
  1. Oversight of the Judiciary
  2. Oversight of Legislation
  3. Oversight of Government actions
  4. Oversight of Members of Parliament
  5. Defence and reform of the Constitution
• Role of Second Chamber
  1. Scrutiny and amendment of legislation
  2. Defence and reform of the Constitution
  3. Appointments
• Representation & electoral systems
  1. Councils
  2. Regional Government
  3. National Assembly/House of Commons
  4. Second Chamber/Senate/House of Lords
  5. Citizens Assemblies & Referendums
  6. Electoral Commission
• Media & Education
  1. Bias and ownership
  2. BBC
  3. Social Media regulation
  4. Education in schools
  5. Public Information
• Ultimate backstops
  1. Written Constitution
  2. Supreme Court
  3. Monarchy
• Sovereignty & the World
• Conclusions

I am returning to my Website after several years of neglect.  Over the next few days I hope to post stuff that you might want to read, and once I’ve done that I will then take down this message.  So by all means look at what’s here now, but it will be a whole lot better and more up to date by the end of August.