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Cameron pledges shake-up of power Cameron in 'people power' pledge
(about 2 hours later)
David Cameron has said a Conservative government would address voters' anger about MPs' expenses with a dramatic redistribution of power. David Cameron has pledged to bring "big change" to politics, including looking at introducing fixed term Parliaments.
Writing in the Guardian, he says he would reduce prime ministerial power and boost the role of Parliament. A Tory government would restore "real people power" through a "radical" redistribution of power from Westminster, he said in a speech.
He would look at introducing fixed-term parliaments and more free votes for MPs but would not end first-past-the-post. But he ruled out a switch from the current first-past-the-post electoral system to proportional representation.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said it did not go far enough and did not address the unelected House of Lords. Minister Jack Straw welcomed the speech but said a lot had been done, the Lib Dems said it did not go far enough.
As the main parties try to shift focus away from the expenses revelations, Mr Cameron set out his plan to shake up Parliament. As the main parties try to shift focus away from the expenses revelations, in a speech in Milton Keynes Mr Cameron said he would reduce prime ministerial power and boost the role of Parliament.
"I believe the central objective of the new politics we need should be a massive, sweeping, radical redistribution of power," he wrote. Fixed term Parliaments
"Through decentralisation, transparency and accountability we must take power away from the political elite and hand it to the man and woman in the street." "I believe there is only one way out of the national crisis that we face, we need a massive, sweeping, radical redistribution of power," he said.
Point scoring "I'm making clear that big change and a new politics is exactly what people can expect from a Conservative government. We will begin a massive redistribution of power in our country, from the powerful to the powerless, from the political elite to the man and the woman in the street."
The Tory leader, who is giving a speech about political reform in Milton Keynes, says his party will "look seriously" at the idea of fixed-term Parliaments and at the "immense power" prime ministers wield through the ability to decide when to call an election. Just imagine the effect that an army of armchair auditors is going to have on those expense claims David Cameron class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8066663.stm">Johnson urging electoral reform class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8067661.stm">MP's husband 'advised ministers'
"If we want Parliament to be a real engine of accountability, we need to show it's not just the creature of the executive," he argues. He said a Conservative government would "seriously consider" the possibility of fixed-term parliaments: "If we want Parliament to be a real engine of accountability we need to show it's not just the creature of the executive to be dissolved on the whim of a prime minister."
It will also investigate possible curbs on the whipping of votes - when MPs come under pressure to toe the party line - in considering bills line-by-line at the committee stage. But he said he would not consider a move towards proportional representation because he said that meant party managers - as opposed to voters - would end up choosing a government "on the basis of secret backroom deals".
"That's when you really need proper, impartial, effective scrutiny - not partisan point-scoring and posturing," he writes. He pledged an end to policies "dreamt up on the sofa at Number 10 Downing Street", more transparency by limiting the number of special advisers and to strengthen the independence of the civil service.
Asked why the party was not making a firm commitment to bring in fixed-term Parliaments, Shadow foreign secretary William Hague told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's the first time we have ever raised that proposal as a party of course we want to set the debate going about that. Armchair auditors
"But on most of the rest of what is in his speech, the commitment to reduce the size of Parliament, to bring more of the use of the government's use of the royal prerogative under democratic control - to have more primaries so that people can choose not only their MP at a general election but have a much bigger say who the candidates are - these are things the Conservative Party is either fully committed to or has already set about implementing." A Conservative government would ask the Boundary Commission to look at reducing the House of Commons by, initially 10% and make sure constituencies were the same size, he said.
And he said the expenses of all public servants paid more than £150,000 a year would be put online - as would all public spending over £25,000.
"Just imagine the effect that an army of armchair auditors is going to have on those expense claims," he said.
"Indeed, the promise of public scrutiny is going to have a powerful effect on over-spending of any variety. "
Other issues the party will look at include possible curbs on the whipping of votes - when MPs come under pressure to toe the party line - in considering bills line-by-line at the committee stage.
Among Mr Cameron's proposals are:Among Mr Cameron's proposals are:
  • Considering fixed-term Parliaments - ending the right of Downing Street to control the timing of general elections
  • Boosting the role of Parliament by giving MPs free votes when bills are considered at committee stage. MPs would also be handed the power of deciding the timetabling of bills
  • Increasing the power of backbenchers by allowing them to choose the chairmen and members of select committees
  • Limiting the use of the royal prerogative which allows the prime minister, in the name of the monarch, to make major decisions without the backing of Parliament
  • Strengthening local government by allowing councils to reverse Whitehall decisions to close popular services, such as a local post office. They would be given the power to raise money to keep them open.
  • Publishing the expenses claims of all public servants earning more than £150,000.
  • Considering fixed-term Parliaments - ending the right of Downing Street to control the timing of general elections
  • Boosting the role of Parliament by giving MPs free votes when bills are considered at committee stage. MPs would also be handed the power of deciding the timetabling of bills
  • Increasing the power of backbenchers by allowing them to choose the chairmen and members of select committees
  • Limiting the use of the royal prerogative which allows the prime minister, in the name of the monarch, to make major decisions without the backing of Parliament
  • Strengthening local government by allowing councils to reverse Whitehall decisions to close popular services, such as a local post office. They would be given the power to raise money to keep them open.
On Monday, Alan Johnson urged Gordon Brown to hold a national referendum on a "radical alternative" to the current first-past-the-post electoral system. Justice Secretary Jack Straw welcomed Mr Cameron's comments and urged him to nominate someone to join cross-party talks on reforms. He said many of the ideas had been around "for some time".
But Mr Cameron rejects any change from the current system. "What's important is that there is now a growing consensus in favour of many sensible changes," he said.
"Proportional representation takes power away from the man and woman in the street and hands it to the political elites," he says. Labour's achievements included the introduction of the Human Rights and Freedom of Information Acts, he said.
"For constitutional reformers this is a glass three-quarters full, not a quarter empty," Mr Straw added.
"It is good to see the Conservatives catching up at last."
HAVE YOUR SAY I am all for electoral reform and applaud Cameron and Johnson. But why didn't they come up with this before the expenses scandal? JB, Leamington Spa Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAY I am all for electoral reform and applaud Cameron and Johnson. But why didn't they come up with this before the expenses scandal? JB, Leamington Spa Send us your comments
"Instead of voters choosing their government on the basis of the manifestos put before them in an election, party managers would choose a government on the basis of secret backroom deals. How is that going to deliver the transparency and trust we need?"
The Liberal Democrats, who favour proportional representation, said Mr Cameron's plans did not go far enough.The Liberal Democrats, who favour proportional representation, said Mr Cameron's plans did not go far enough.
Party leader Nick Clegg said they were a "nip and tuck" solution which fell short of his own proposal to sack MPs if they are proved to have done something wrong.Party leader Nick Clegg said they were a "nip and tuck" solution which fell short of his own proposal to sack MPs if they are proved to have done something wrong.
"I think David Cameron's ideas are fine as far as they go but they don't go far enough," he told GMTV."I think David Cameron's ideas are fine as far as they go but they don't go far enough," he told GMTV.
"They are saying nothing about sacking individual MPs. They are saying nothing about the scandal of having an unelected House of Lords who can make the laws of the land for us and they are not accountable to us."They are saying nothing about sacking individual MPs. They are saying nothing about the scandal of having an unelected House of Lords who can make the laws of the land for us and they are not accountable to us.
"It says nothing about the fact that under our electoral system we give huge amounts of power, huge amounts of money, to the government of the day even though they only get a tiny minority of the eligible votes.""It says nothing about the fact that under our electoral system we give huge amounts of power, huge amounts of money, to the government of the day even though they only get a tiny minority of the eligible votes."
On its 19th day of revelations about expenses claims by MPs, which have focused largely on the second homes allowance, the Daily Telegraph has turned its attention to claims made under office expenses.
It reports that some ministers used allowances meant for the running of their offices to claim for personal tax advice, from the husband of a Labour MP.
Meanwhile six shadow cabinet members are reported to have used their claims to pay more than £150,000 to the Conservative Party over five years - attributed to rent, office space, telephone services and personnel.