"If a more fundamental change is being considered, then the entirety of parliament, its functions, its procedures, its powers and its members must be on the table."
Yes, I totally agree with this. I find it really disheartening how few people recognise that piecemeal constitutional reform has next to no chance of bringing us competent, principled government.
"I think the topic of constitutional reform, including the reform of parliament, is something that would lend itself nicely to a series of green and white papers. Unfortunately, it would be a long-term, full-time commitment I couldn’t make at this stage so it will have to wait."
I can relate to that.
Back in 1983, when I was in my mid twenties, I'd promised myself that I would vote (for the first time) in the coming General Election. When it came to it however, I couldn't bring myself to vote for any of the candidates standing. I decided then that there was something fundamentally wrong with the whole system and, to release myself from the promise I'd made, I made a commitment to work out a system that I could respect.
It hasn't been full-time but it's taken forty years to arrive at something I think would be fit for a mature society.
Yes, it's something that those who call for a written constitution don't really think about. They'd largely keep in place what we have - it isn't worth the upheaval or entrenchment when all it will do is tinker and fail to achieve anything worthwhile.
"If a more fundamental change is being considered, then the entirety of parliament, its functions, its procedures, its powers and its members must be on the table."
Yes, I totally agree with this. I find it really disheartening how few people recognise that piecemeal constitutional reform has next to no chance of bringing us competent, principled government.
"I think the topic of constitutional reform, including the reform of parliament, is something that would lend itself nicely to a series of green and white papers. Unfortunately, it would be a long-term, full-time commitment I couldn’t make at this stage so it will have to wait."
I can relate to that.
Back in 1983, when I was in my mid twenties, I'd promised myself that I would vote (for the first time) in the coming General Election. When it came to it however, I couldn't bring myself to vote for any of the candidates standing. I decided then that there was something fundamentally wrong with the whole system and, to release myself from the promise I'd made, I made a commitment to work out a system that I could respect.
It hasn't been full-time but it's taken forty years to arrive at something I think would be fit for a mature society.
Yes, it's something that those who call for a written constitution don't really think about. They'd largely keep in place what we have - it isn't worth the upheaval or entrenchment when all it will do is tinker and fail to achieve anything worthwhile.
Brown's suggestions are terrible.