Constitutional and Governmental Reform
Fundamental changes are needed to make the governance of the United Kingdom more effective and resilient. Our system of government is outdated and should be updated to reflect the realities of the modern world.
| The Peoples Party must: |
|---|
| establish a written constitution and an updated Bill of Rights for the UK |
| revitalise the monarchy with the King or Queen given democratic legitimacy |
| reduce the size of the House of Commons to 200 MPs and double their salaries |
| remove the rights of existing peers to sit in the House of Lords |
| create a second chamber of 100 Lords, elected by proportional representation, based on the votes received by political parties at the last general election |
| require the Lords to meet at venues outside London, travelling the country on a regular circuit to help increase awareness and engagement |
| replace the current honours system |
| disestablish the Church of England |
| abolish devolution and support votes on complete independence for Scotland, Wales and the unification of Ireland |
Freedom of thought, belief and expression must be actively promoted in all aspects of national life. In an age where tolerance is eroded and liberty is vulnerable, we must ensure that these values are formally set out in a new Bill of Rights. It is a key role of the state to protect and support individual freedom. All forms of discrimination are wrong, and we must ensure every person can achieve their full potential.
Britain’s constitution needs to guarantee the rule of law and set out the separation of powers between the government, parliament, and the judiciary.
The King or Queen should be more than a figurehead but have a vital leadership role. The powers of the head of state should be strengthened and embedded in the written constitution. They must have the authority to protect people from an over-mighty state or dictatorial government, bypassing Parliament. They need democratic legitimacy to veto legislation that is not in the British people’s interests. The whole Brexit debacle highlighted the weakness of the current system.
The House of Lords is an anachronism that must be replaced with a properly democratic second chamber that holds the Government to account.
The House of Commons has grown unwieldy, making it challenging to attract the talent required for good government or even the proper review of government activities. In particular, the routine lack of financial analysis, detailed scrutiny of public expenditure, and budgetary control of large projects is shocking. The Commons repeatedly fails in its primary mission to hold the executive to account. A significant proportion of members are only third-rate, pompous windbags, a situation replicated to a greater degree in the UK’s devolved assemblies.
Devolution has been a disaster. It is a halfway house that needs to go to full independence or be reversed.