David Cameron pledges radical political reform

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May 26

David Cameron pledges radical political reform

Conservative leader David Cameron (Image © PA)

What’s happening?

Conservative leader David Cameron has promised a radical reform of the political system to restore public faith in British democracy in the wake of the MPs’ expenses scandal. Writing in the Guardian, he declared he would trim back the powers of the prime minister and government and give MPs more influence over legislation. Cameron’s proposals to decentralise power would prompt the biggest change in the way Britain is governed in the modern era.

What are people saying?

“I believe the central objective of the new politics we need should be a massive, sweeping, radical redistribution of power,” Cameron wrote. “From the state to citizens; from the government to parliament; from Whitehall to communities. From the EU to Britain; from judges to the people; from bureaucracy to democracy. Through decentralisation, transparency and accountability we must take power away from the political elite and hand it to the man and woman in the street.”

Why should we give a damn?

Cameron said a Tory government would:

Limit the power of the prime minister by considering 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.
Reduce the number of MPs in Westminster, initially by 10%, and ensure every vote has an equal value.
Open up the legislative process to outsiders by sending out text alerts on the progress of parliamentary bills and by posting proceedings on YouTube.
Limit the use of the royal prerogative - which allows the prime minister, in the name of the monarch, to make major decisions - so parliament is properly involved in all major national decisions.
End the culture of "sofa government" in Downing Street by limiting the number of spin doctors and strengthening the ministerial code.
Publish the expenses claims of all public servants earning more than £150,000.
Strengthen local government by giving councils the power of “competence”, allowing them to do "whatever they like as long as it's legal." 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.
Create a new power of "citizen's initiative", with local referendums on issues where more than 5% of the electorate have signed up.
End the "state monopoly" on state education, allowing any suitable organisation to set up a new school. Parents who are unhappy with their child's education will be able to send their child to a new school, backed by government funding.

Your thoughts?

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11:27 AM | View trackbacks (1) | Blog it | News and politics

Comments (51)

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	sharon paynewrote: I'm sorry to say this, but Cameron means nothing by his new initiatives. Basically, he's saying that the Government will accept less responsibility for the decisions they SHOULD be making in the first place. Councils already have the power to close schools, as has happened in our area with alarming frequency. The excuse that there were not enough children to justify keeping these schools open was utter rubbish. Where are all the immigrants children going to go? "citizen's initiative"? Another scheme that will see our country go down the tubes a bit further. The only people to benefit from this one will not be those who were born here. At the end of the day, he's just selling out like all the other parties. They're all responsible for the mess this country is in and they can't see any way out of it that won't upset a 'small minority'. Complete waste of time, the lot of them. Oct. 24
	C.M Baksawrote: 'They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English. I can't even talk the way these people talk: Why you ain't, Where you is, What he drive, Where he stay, Where he work, Who you be... And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. And then I heard the father talk. Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living. People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an Education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around. The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids. $500 sneakers for what? And they won't spend $200 for Hooked on Phonics. I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit. Where were you when he was 2? Where were you when he was 12? Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn't know that he had a pistol? And where is the father? Or who is his father? People putting their clothes on backward: Isn't that a sign of something gone wrong? People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something? Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body? What part of Africa did this come from?? We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don't know a thing about Africa ..... I say this all of the time. It would be like white people saying they are European-American. That is totally stupid. I was born here, and so were my parents and grand parents and, very likely my great grandparents. I don't have any connection to Africa, no more than white Americans have to Germany , Scotland , England , Ireland , or the Netherlands . The same applies to 99 percent of all the black Americans as regards to Africa . So stop, already! ! ! With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap ......... and all of them are in jail. Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem. We have got to take the neighborhood back. People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different 'husbands' -- or men or whatever you call them now. We have millionaire football players who cannot read. We have million-dollar basketball players who can't write two paragraphs. We, as black folks have to do a better job. Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us. We have to start holding each other to a higher standard. We cannot blame the white people any longer.' Oct. 15
	peter mungeamwrote: what about those so called lords that were prepared to sell changes in the law for cash !! they were suspended only until the end of september then allowed to resume"" why were they not prosecuted? why !!!! June 24
	peter mungeamwrote: end immigrationfrom all parts of the world. restore peoples to good retirement financial status and not placed at the bottom of the pile as has been allowed to happen. under the last goverments vast ammounts of money has been tipped into a large hole called Africa;that feeds greedy despots and what we are led to believe are poor people at home who are scholars at benifit handouts and first in que for more June 24
	DAVIDwrote: Why, after eighteen years of the tory party ( when they were in power ) should people be voting for them again. They ruined this country, have you lot forgot what thatcher and her dirty shower of shit did to the steel, mining, industries plus the train networks. NOW is the time to think, do we want any of these fiddling bastards running our country. There linning thier own pockets again. Bent labour, bent tories, bent libs MPs. Now there voting for bigger pensions while we are all losing our jobs, cant get a pay rise, losing our homes, and most of us not having a pension. WHY the hell are we putting up with it. We should get rid of all the fiddling MPs , before the next election and pick from whats left . That means getting rid of Brown and Cameron, they have both been claiming for one thing or another, what they were not entitled to. If we let them get away with this new pension rise they will walk all over us again. Its time to tell them to pay for their own pensions out of their big fat pay packets not out of the public purse. NO MORE FREE HAND-OUTS FOR THESE SLUGS, CALLED MPs. June 24
	No namewrote: If David Cameron really wants reform he should be dismissing all of these corrupt Tories with no severence pay - just as any of us would be treated in the private sector. Tonight we have Mr. Cash (aptly named since he's been stealing ours) using the unimaginable excuse that he had to pay his daughter rent so he could live in her flat (that she sold and profited from) because his son was living rent free in Mr. Cash's own flat closer to Westminister! How completely out of touch can he be to think we would accept this statement? It is absolutely frightening to think that these people make decisions about our country. No wonder globalisation has been entirely about greed and no wonder we are in the worst economic downturn in history. We need to clean them all out now. May 29
	Lisa Downeswrote: How is proportional representation fairer? Whats fairer than first past the post? You wouldn't put money on a winning horse in a race, then having the fourth placed having the victory crown placed on the jockey's head. Please can someone explain to me why proportional representation IS fairer? I've never been able to grasp why it is. May 28
	Noniewrote: David Cameron has taken all his ideas directly from Jury Team, word for word. We are an Independent group of MEP candidates and future MP candidates, fighting to change the system. He has merely used our ideas and is paying lip service to them May 28
	Vor joneswrote: I would start from: 1 Let's put an end to proportional misrepresentation or disproportional representation, in other words; let's have proportional representation. (unfortunately this is like asking the present army of politicians to cut off their own feet... BUT , IT HAS TO COME, otherwise our definition of democracy remains compromised.) 2 Abolish the Sex Discrimination Bill (the manipulators may have changed it's title and terminology by now, but the same applies... it compromises democracy) 3 Ensure that ALL parties are represented in ALL constituencies, no matter how afraid the main parties are of giving people choice, just DO IT. The result, after a couple of votings, will produce real democracy. REAL DEMOCRACY. MY WORRY: There is no way the present bunch of politicians will let that happen. 2 May 28
	Martinwrote: Note that David Cameron will only "consider" fixed term Parlaiments: there is no commitment to do so. How can he be serious about "radical" political reform when he says nothing about the abolition of the House of Lords (a chamber composed of unelected representatives and politcal nominees)? In addition he has said nothing about an English assembly (the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish have one so why not the rest of us). Gimmicks such as text messaging policy ideas to the electorate are no subsititute for a properly thought out written constitution May 27
	alan gerrard christianwrote: It all sounds good in theory, but is this just David Cameron saying what he thinks that he needs to say to gain power at any cost. Having lived through the Thatcher and Major eras I have to say that I find anything that a Tory party leader has to say as being somewhat suspect and feel that it would all go out of the window once he gained power. May 27
	Raywrote: I agree with many of the comments made, but, I have voted for the liberals and got dumped by nick clegg on the vote for Europe he promised those who supported his party. I then voted for tony blair and he lied and robbed every one of us. As fast as he found a corrupt MP he sacked them, then took them back! But the big question for me with this crasy labour party is who voted gordon brown in as PM! Mr Cameron if you want people to vote for you and your party tell us the whole truth from the start, if you cant deliver say so. But dont just say so prior to an election, say it during your term (if successful), and say it at the end where your actions & deeds can seem to be apparent or transparant, which ever. Make your pledges for change but STICK TO THEM, all along. We the public will pay for a good service almost anywhere for almost anything, but lies, spin and sculldugery will not get you anywhere at all, we have had 'New Labour' dont give us more crap and try to sell us a 'New Conservative Era', it will die immediately. The banks let us down, the Insurance company's let us down, social services let many down, the police-courts & some councils let us down, labour & liberals have let us down! Theres some pointers for changes 'DONT LET US DOWN'. May 27
	Lisa Downeswrote: P.S. I live in Walsall which is a Tory controlled council. They have systematically farmed out the housing, waste management, school catering, grounds maintainence, cleaning services and education. All schools are now run by Serco..... doesn't that sound familiar? Mr Cameron has promised to farm out our kids' schools to ANY organisation that thinks they can do a better job. Excuse me Mr Cameron, but ... DIDN'T YOUR PARTY DO THAT WITH ALL THE NATIONAL SERVICES/INDUSTRIES WHILE THEY WERE IN POWER .... the coal industry, the railways, the electric and gas companies, the water companies were ALL privatised and now you want to do it to our schools? May 27
	Lisa Downeswrote: People should be very wary of voting for Mr Cameron n the next election. If he were to become prime minister, how can he, an old Etonian, possibly know anything about the common man. He talked a load of nonsense yesterday, but what did he actually promise. He says what people want to hear, he jumps on any bandwagon going, but if he got to number 10, what promises he's made recently would he actually stick to. Take a good look at his face when he's on the telly. He doesn't believe a word that he's spouting. And if he doesn't believe it - why should you? May 27
	marywrote: Mr. Cameron is a no good liar. Is he going to pay back to the taxpayers the money that took his party out of the red. I speak of the money,defrauded by the lords in Monaco and Belize from the taxes. Has he promised these crooks a free passage to do what they want if he gets in. We already know who the Tories look after, and its not the honest taxpayers. Shouldn't Mr. Cameron be in prison for fraud? May 27
	No namewrote: My Conservative MP for South West Surrey, Jeremy Hunt has had the gall to boast about the fact that his expenses were some of the lowest of all MPs and yet we have discovered that although on the Register of Members Interests he has only recorded a home in Farnham and a half share of a home in Italy, it turns out that his main home is in Hammersmith and he has claimed over £37,000. in the past three years for the second home allowance for his house in Farnham - in his own constituency! Obviously, he can't take the hour long train from Farnham to London with the rest of us commuters (and yes we also work long hours!). So - the register itself is all smoke and mirrors and these people still don't get it! David Cameron is doing nothing about this because it hasn't been newsworthy and we all know now that he only cares about issues AFTER they've hit the news. I've been a Conservative all of my life but will never vote for these crooks again. They can take their many homes, moats, non-elected pals (House of Lords), and go. Anyone who thinks this is the alternative is Labour is kidding themselves. None of these three parties have any right to govern now. May 27
	No namewrote: I also believe in the need for change. When labour came in I thought they deserved a chance, but, they have brought us to our knees and Gordon Brown has been one of the chief instigators as Chancellor and them as PM. So although I have reservations about Cameron I think he will rise to the occasion. There are several things I would want to see in writing 1. Abolish all quangos and have select committees (if we need one) made up of persons who can ask the right questions (I saw the bankers being interviewed and it was obvious that the MPs on the committee hadn't a clue as to what to ask). 2. Have a fixed term for government 4/5 years that way, maybe, we can keep the so and sos up to the mark and 3. Pay MPs a salary and NO expenses and NO 2nd homes either unless they buy them have a group of apartments around Westminster for use of MPs not within commuting distance. May 27
	OCYwrote: I serrioulsy believe, need for change, but I honstsly dont see camero as the one capabl of bringing baout the necessary change. he talks tough, and bully poor Brown inthe commons, but have not utter a single policy statement. Hes only taken advnatage of public grievance, but British people needs to look deep into party policies and whch one drives home our values and can serrioulsy help the low earners who makes up larger 5tage of British population. As for me I havent made up my mind on what party to vote for in a general election, but I want to see policy stateent , and plans to lead us out of recession and back into the real Britsh ruling the World May 27
	philwrote: The 2 big parties are clinging to power by not having proportional representation, this means nearly half of all votes in england are wasted and smaller parties don't have a chance. If i had a parlementary pension to look forward to(never mind the expenses) I might also be more aware of my own needs rather than the people I represented. I wonder why there is such voter apathy?!? May 27
	philwrote: It's very simple with the second home rule... If the constituency is within the M25 then they don't need one. How dare the MPs for Reigate and also for Epsom, BLUNT AND GRAYLING claim they can't do a 25minute train journey with the rest of their consituents to get to town. These are specifically labelled "commuterbelts" for a very good reason. It's disgustiing and if they are not either sacked or forced to give up every penny made from them I along with many others will never vote conservative ever again! They are total frauds and a hopeless, greedy example to why we need change now, not at an election... NOW! May 27

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