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macnumpty · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject: The Big Clunking Fist

El Gordo* (get out your Spanish dictionaries folks, but bear in mind that on this one, la olla está diciendo que el hervidor es negro**) has set out his plans for reform. These include:

To hand over to Parliament the power to dissolve itself, rather than have an Election called on the PM's whim. The thing is, as long as the Government holds a majority, the PM still controls this. There was no commitment to fixed-term Parliaments, and no commitment to voting reform, but there was a promise to look at the effects of voting reform introduced since 1997. This most likely means the European Election system. Perhaps Holyrood and the Welsh Assembly will be discussed as well, but I don't think it's all that likely. But perhaps Arbuthnott will get his wish, and STV will be implemented for the Europ elections? Yes, and maybe I'll find a winning lottery ticket on the pavement tomorrow.

To limit the Executive's freedom to declare war. Did we actually declare war on Iraq, or did we just go in?

A statement on Lords Reform. Oh! A statement! Wow! Just what we need! Another bloody statement!

A debate on a Constitution. But not necessarily a Constitution. Marvellous.

Regional Committees to scrutinise the Regional Ministers. These are the same Regions that are drawn up artificially by Whitehall (which kind of defeats the purpose of regionalism, really), and this is in lieu of the Regional Assemblies that died the death when people in North East England laughed the proposal out of the room.

No resolution to the West Lothian Question.

A discussion of the voting age being lowered to 16, but no commitment.

A 'concordat' with Local Government. Wow!

And a commitment to preserve the Union, but no commitment to an open debate and vote on the matter.

The problem is that most of this deals with the mechanics of Government, which never really captures the imagination. But the issue I have with every constitutional change since 1997 is that it's either been piecemeal (i.e. the House of Lords), or stapled on to the existing situation without any real consideration of its implications in the wider sense (i.e. Devolution).

Why not start from scratch? Why not go back to first principles, and discuss the Union? Why not go through every constitutional principle and look again at it? Why not have one radical, cathartic look at the Constitutional affairs of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Why carry on tinkering around the edges?

* Gordo is Castillian for fat. No, really!
** I'm pretty sure this is the Castillian for 'The pot is calling the kettle black'!

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