THE UK government must embark on a major programme of constitutional reform to address public disillusionment with politics in the wake of the MPs’ expenses crisis, according to one of Gordon Brown’s cabinet allies.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s climate change secretary and the minister in charge of Labour’s manifesto and election strategy, said that alienation from politics went well beyond MPs’ expenses. He said the traditions and practices of the House of Commons were off-putting to most people, and should be looked at by the new Speaker.
Acknowledging the huge public anger over extravagant expenses claims by MPs, he said: “Out of a set of terrible issues, this is a moment for big reform, and government must take advantage of it. We need a more pluralistic political system where power is shared in different ways.”
Taking aim at one of the most visible parliamentary institutions, prime minister’s questions, he said that Tory leader David Cameron had been right to criticise “Punch and Judy” politics. He said prime minister’s questions was “good sport . . . but it’s an incredibly off-putting version of what politics is about”.
Mr Miliband said that the new Speaker should have a much wider brief than simply cleaning up the expenses system. He said several issues should be reviewed: the power for parliamentary select committees to scrutinise legislation; more power to be devolved to local government; the language of the chamber, such as referring to MPs as “my right honourable friend”; the ceremonial garb of Commons officials; and the amount of time the Commons sits during the year.
Mr Miliband said he would be open to the idea of September sittings. – (Guardian service)
