Politicians of all parties are beginning to identify the abuse of
the expenses rules as a wider systemic problem which has its roots in
the powerlessness the public feels in the face of our over-centralised
institutions and political culture. The leaders of the main parties are
talking the language of political change, but our democracy belongs to
all of us and it cannot be left to politicians in Westminster alone to
determine the next stage of reform.
The fact that constitutional reform has proceeded in such a
piecemeal fashion points to the lack of consensus between the main
parties, and it is unlikely that, on their own, politicians will reach
the necessary state of agreement to make real reform possible. A few
politicians have recently called for a Constitutional Convention to
determine changes to the constitution which have evaded Parliamentary
consensus to date. We believe that alongside a number of other reforms,
a Convention made up of citizens could help to end the deadlock on a
number of constitutional issues, at the same time as putting citizens
at the forefront of designing the shape of a constitutional settlement
for the next era.
A Citizens’ Convention should be brought together to determine the following issues:
- House of Lords reform
- Parliamentary reform including fixed term Parliaments and
strengthening Select Committees and other ways of holding the Executive
to greater account - Funding of political parties
- Changing the voting system to more closely reflect voters’
preferences resulting in a referendum on the day of the next general
election - New routes into politics including primaries and directly elected mayors
- Greater devolution of power, accountability and funding to local government
The moment for seizing the day is upon us. Letting politics slide
back into business as usual cannot be allowed to happen. Not everyone
will agree with all of the reforms listed above, but individual
preferences may have to give way to a package of measures which can
form the real change our democracy deserves now. In making these
changes we could create a future where power truly resides with the
many not the few.
- Jessica Asato, Acting Director, Progress
- Stephen Twigg, Chair, Progress
- Professor Brian Brivati, Director, John Smith Memorial Trust
- Professor David Marquand, Visiting Fellow, University of Oxford
- Patricia Hewitt MP, former Secretary of State for Health
- Peter Hain MP, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
- Martin Linton MP
- Barry Gardiner MP
- Mark Lazarowicz MP
- Guy Lodge, Associate Director, ippr
- Lewis Baston, Electoral Reform Society
- Roger Liddle, Vice-Chair, Policy Network
- Nick Smith, Labour PPC for Blaenau Gwent
- Sunder Katwala, General Secretary of the Fabian Society
- Wes Streeting, National President, National Union of Students
- Mary Honeyball MEP
- Oona King, former MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
- David Rowntree, Labour PPC for Cities of London and Westminster and musician
- Simon Fanshawe, Writer and Broadcaster
- Anne Campbell, former MP for Cambridge
- Luke Bruce, Former Labour Party Assistant General Secretary (Policy and Political Development 2004-2006)
- Steve Reed, Labour Leader, Lambeth Council
- Gabe Trodd, Founder, The Stand up Tall Project
- Matt Cooke, Councillor, Labour Borough of Haringey
- Kevin Bonavia, Labour PPC for Rochford and Southend East
- Kevin McKeever, Labour PPC for Harborough
- Jonny Reynolds, Councillor, Tameside
- Luke Bozier, Former Downing St Adviser on E-campaigns
- Bambos Charalambous, Labour PPC for Enfield Southgate
- Tom Flynn, Labour PPC for Southend East
- Emily Georghiou, Womens Officer, Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform
- Alex Hilton, Labour PPC for Chelsea and Fulham
- Jude Robinson, Labour PPC for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle
- Phil Taylor, Norwich North CLP
- Catharine Arakelian, Labour PPC for Chingford and Woodford Green
- Alex Smith, Editor, LabourList
- Richard Angell, Chair, Brixton and Streatham Hill Labour Party
- Tim Shand, Labour PPC for Guildford
- Andy Burkitt, Member Bristol West CLP and Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform
- Peter Kyle, Deputy CEO, ACEVO
- Patrick Vernon, Labour Councillor, London Borough of Hackney
- Jon Harvey, Member Buckingham CLP
- Ed Williams, Labour PPC for Meriden
- Terry Ashton, Former General Secretary, London Labour Party
- Swatantra Nandanwar, Labour PPC for Maldon Essex
- Councillor Catherine West, Leader, Islington Labour Group
- Kate Groucutt, Chair, Young Fabians (in a personal capacity)
- Ken Ritchie, Member Daventry CLP
- Steve Munby, Labour Councillor, Liverpool City Council
- Sue Sturgeon, Chair, Tewkesbury CLP
- James Asser, LGBT Labour and member Hove CLP
- Paul Burgin, North East Herts CLP Press Officer and Mars Hill blogger
- Terry Philpot, writer and journalist
- Rick Muir, Senior Research Fellow, ippr
- James E Siddelley, Labour Party North-West Regional Board
- Darren Barrenger, Labour PPC for Harwich & North Essex
- Dean Newby, LGBT Labour & Brent Central CLP member
- Simon Redfern, Labour Communications Network
- Anna Chester, Chair of Rotherham CLP and Vice Chair, Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Board
- Dean Rogers, PCS Union National Officer, Environment, Transport and Trade