Sunday 24 May 2009

Reforming Parilment - Wish List


It's amazing how many reformist are in parliament now, you would think with such a hunger for change it would have happened so much sooner. So like a MP I'm jumping on the band wagon, this would be my reform wish list:
  • Put our heath care, education and social services outside of party politics. It's too important to play political point scoring with, politicians should be able to put aside party politics and not play god with peoples lives. As half the problem with our NHS is this ridiculous political game that gets played every 4 years, settle on a cross party consensus and don't keep moving the goal posts unless you have good reason.
  • I'm not drawn to an independent fees office, mainly because it will be "independent" only in name. I would be far more comfortable with accountability, publishing on-line their full receipts with only bank details blacked out. It wouldn't be a problem if they were open and honest about their pay and expenses. You're not going to claim for a duck house knowing voters will see it.
  • Cap Prime Minster serving time for two elections, I can't think of one PM that hasn't gone nuts in their third term. Two terms can be damaging enough, so cap it purely for damage limitation.
  • Proportional representation, I'm torn with this as not having an absolute majority would be good for debate in parliament, and the dictatorship that majority governments run the commons under can do so much damage, particularly when combined with the point above. Yet changing boundaries so there are less safe seats and the knock effect of reducing MPs in Parliament, might create more of a mix and less dominance.
  • Open candidate lists, as the recent selection in Erith and Thamesmead illustrates, the party can put who they want, not who's best for the local area, allowing people to have a say will address that.
  • A elected House of Lords, to often it's used as political perk, combined with people that can't be elected just get made a Lord. Yet they have no accountability and they vote on our laws. There is nothing democratic about that.
  • If the Prime Minster resigns call a general election within 6 months. They should not hold that position without facing a public vote.


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