I really shouldn't discuss politics late at night. I always end up with ideas running through my head that stop me from sleeping. Still this is what my blog is for, surely 8-).
Anyway, John Bercow has just been elected to the position of Speaker of the House of Commons. John Bercow has been one of the strongest supporters of equality from within the Tory party, and now he's Speaker. I can't help but feel we've lost a champion for Equality that we're going to need when (yeah, barring a alien force taking over Brown and the rest of the Labour party and making him/them competent it's going to be when) the Tories win the next election. Still, I wish him luck in reforming Parliament. Maybe he can champion reforms which stop us from seeing MPs being given dual roles which prevent them being a good constituency MP. From John Bercow's website:
"You elected me and sent me to the House of Commons to speak and vote for the people of Buckingham"
How can he do that as Speaker? How can Brown hold the government to account on behalf of his constituents? Balls? Darling? Milliband?
They Can't. They are failing the people in their constituencies. This needs to change.
There is talk of a power of recall, but what good is that when I have had no direct vote for the Prime Minister? I don't live in Brown's constituency, I am not a member of the Labour Party. The only person I have any say over is my own MP being in parliament. I don't even get a say in whether s/he can or should take up a ministerial position and enslave herself to silence and the party line.
I believe we need a directly elected Executive, with parliament holding the executive to account. We need a parliament which can do its own business alongside that of the executive (and I believe Bercow is suggesting that - within the present system of some MPs being more equal than others).
I hope Bercow can champion these changes, but I don't see any evidence of this in his manifesto. I hope he can increase the power of the back benchers. I hope he can introduce the changes he mentions. Because I don't see any other party ready to suggest a radical change from the status quo that is so desperately needed.
Alex
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