Straw unveils constitutional reforms
Tuesday, 25 March 2008 12:00 AM
Jack Straw today set out the government's plans for constitutional reform.
The justice secretary said the draft constitutional reform bill would hand more powers to parliament, in a move tentatively welcomed by MPs.
He said the package of reforms, which cover elections, the civil service and royal prerogative powers, would confirm "how power should be exercised in a modern democracy".
But opposition members raised concerns the proposed reforms do not go far enough and called for more substantive reform.
Gordon Brown set out constitutional reform as one of his priorities when taking office in June 2007 and said he was prepared to hand many powers to parliament.
Today's draft bill confirmed the expected measure to hand MPs a greater say in declaring war, except in cases where the security situation prevents parliamentary debate.
Mr Straw confirmed the bill "would require the prime minister of the day to seek the approval of this House before deciding to commit forces into armed conflicts abroad."
The justice secretary confirmed the home secretary will remove the ban on protests around parliament, introduced in anti-terror legislation in 2005.
The draft bill will also make permanent interim measures allowing government offices to fly the union flag.
Mr Straw outlined a number of measures designed to improve voter turnout, including moving elections to weekends. However, he said the government is not prepared to criminalise voter apathy.
Mr Straw explained: "The reforms proposed today are a significant commitment to ensure that power lies where it should - with parliament and the people.
"Today is the next stage of that process and of redistribution of power to parliament and the people. In this way the bond between the government and the governed remains strong and the people who bestow power through the ballot box can have confidence in those who exercise it through parliament."
Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the reforms were worthy but inadequate to repair Britain's "broken politics".
"Isn't it the case that the relationship between the people and politicians is seriously damaged," he asked MPs.
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