Campaign for a citizens’ convention
‘This weekend Progress launched a Labour campaign for a Citizens’ Convention signed by over forty Labour activists, politicians and academics including Brian Brivati, David Marquand, Martin Linton, Stephen Twigg and former MP Anne Campbell. The idea of using a Convention to determine the next stage of constitutional reform is not a new one, in fact it has been suggested that Peter Mandelson has been pushing for such a thing in Cabinet, and James Purnell came out in favour of the idea in his piece for yesterday’s Guardian. As Brian Brivati writes for Comment is Free, the politicians have failed to address the fundamental reforms this country needs, and it’s time to allow the public to take charge of creating the change Britain’s democracy so sorely needs.’ – Jessica Asato, LabourList
‘For the first time since the suffragettes, constitutional reform has become a popular issue. The crisis over MPs’ expenses has convinced many that Parliament has become insulated from the people. MPs must become accountable between general elections, not just once every five years.’ – Vernon Bogdanor, The Times
EU elections
‘After 10 days of lying low, the prime minister finally attempted to establish a clear way forward, by proposing a code of conduct for MPs and insisting that he would not step aside, regardless of the scale of defeat for Labour in this week’s local and European elections.’ – Allegra Stratton, The Guardian
‘On Saturday The Times published a Populus poll, which gave the Conservatives 41 per cent, Labour 21, the Liberal Democrats 15 and other parties 23, of which eight went to UKIP. Yesterday The Sunday Telegraph published an ICM poll that gave the Conservatives 40 per cent, the Lib Dems 25, Labour 22 and other parties 13 per cent. These figures are those of a general poll, but separate polls were conducted for the European elections, to be held next Thursday. If one takes these two polls, they confirm each other, except in two respects. In both polls the Conservatives are in the lead by a wide margin. In both, Labour is doing very badly.’ – William Rees-Mogg, The Times
‘The smaller parties look set to benefit from a high turnout in Thursday’s elections, with people keen to express their anger by casting a protest vote.’ – Jill Sherman, The Times
MPs’ expenses
‘Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, claimed parliamentary expenses for a flat that he let to tenants while also claiming living allowances for his grace and favour home in Downing Street, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.’ – Robert Winnett and Holly Watt, Daily Telegraph
‘After yesterday’s splash in the Sunday Times suggesting that Brown is planning to install his long-time former close aide, Ed Balls, as Chancellor there’s more gloomy news for the current incumbent, Alistair Darling, today.’ – politicalbetting.com
A centre-left alliance?
‘Well, democracy brings its revenges. Cameron will have to clean up the Commons and will find that tough. But he won’t be an all-conquering hero, and it is around his inevitable problems that the centre left will now need to regroup.’ – Jackie Ashley, The Guardian
Cameron faces scrutiny committee
‘David Cameron promised last night to repay £22,000 of expenses if he is found by the Tory scutiny panel to have behaved unreasonably over his mortgage arrangements.’ – Suzy Jagger, The Times
Obama prepares for Middle East visit
‘This week Barack Obama will make the most anticipated foreign policy speech of his presidency when he addresses the Muslim world in Cairo. Typically for a man with unbounded ambition, Mr Obama has made little secret about the size of the audience he seeks to address – one billion Muslims. But surely just as important as the numbers is the issue of who among them will listen. That is an even more daunting task.’ – Editorial, The Guardian