The government this week plans to bring ‘radical’ constitutional changes according to this article in The Guardian. The plans they are hoped, will increase voter turnout and improve the legitimacy of Parliament.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw will unveil many of the plans, which include changes to the voting system for local and national government as well as moving the election day from Thursday to the weekend, introducing a British Bill of ‘rights and responsibilities’ and measures aimed at reforming the way election campaigns are funded. There may be separate proposals to replace the unelected upper chamber with a democratically-elected one, with fewer members.
Like many people who support any form of badly-needed constitutional reform in Britain, I should be pleased with what is on offer, but I’m not. The proposals put on the table are minor compared to what is desperately required. The government have pledged to consult widely, but judging on their record (look at the controversy over the expansion of Heathrow Airport), I wouldn’t be surprised if many people decide to reject them altogether. Major constitutional reforms will only succeed if the government is genuinely open and honest about wanting those changes. Unfortunately, when you look at the corrosive state of British politics over the last ten years, such reform is still a long way off.