What are the Governments key areas of Constitutional Reform?
Constitutional reform is a touchy subject for any politician or party, it is often frowned upon as some see it as the governments way to increase their power and influence. Where as others see it as a necessary procedure which allows a nations political system to evolve for the greater good. In the past, other governments have implemented a limited number of constitutional reforms, for example Tony Blair's Labour government put in place the House of Lords Reform in 1999, this Act reduced the number of hereditary peers in the House of Lords down to 92 (Currently at 88). This was merely one of many reforms put in place by previous governments, but does this necessarily mean that the Conservative government in power now wishes to follow up with their own line of constitutional reforms?
Firstly, does the current wish to put in place any new constitutional reforms? Well, to begin with the issue surrounding the EU will have a knock on effect for the constitution, as leaving the EU would therefore restore all power back to Westminster. Not only this, but it would also mean that EU law no longer holds pride of place over British Law. Never the less the majority of the Conservative government and the Prime Minister himself are against leaving the EU, its likely that the Conservatives will run a campaign against leaving the EU in the hope that constitutional changes are not made. Yet the issue surrounding the EU does not mean that the government is against constitutional reform as the British Bill of Rights proves. The Conservatives wish to put in place the British Bill of Rights , which would take place over the Human Rights Act. The Bill means that the Human Rights Act is no longer binding over the UK Supreme Court, additionally the European Court of Human Rights loses its ability to change UK law and merely becomes an advisory body. It can some what be seen that this Bill has the objective of removing the Human Rights Act put in place by Labour and it could be guessed that the Conservatives wish to undo Labours reforms of the past and introduce solely Conservative reforms.
The Conservative government made it clear in their last manifesto that any large scale House of Lords reform was not of top priority to them, this was said despite all the other major, and many of the minor, party's stating that they would go ahead with ambitious House of Lords Reforms. Statistics show that under the Cameron lead coalition of 2010-15 the House of Lords grew more rapidly than any other post-war period. As previously stated it seems the Conservative-Labour divide is being made ever so clear. The Conservatives also wish to implement English votes on English Laws, this idea has been presented on multiple occasions, yet most recently due to the coalition no real progress was made (Due to Lib Dem resistance). The Bill would give MPs of England and Wales a fairer say in the laws that only affect their country. This Bill would help fix the problem that English MPs cant vote on issues that have been devolved to other parts of the UK yet Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish MPs can vote on issues that concern England. The Conservatives state that it will strengthen England's voice , just as devolution gave Scotland a larger voice. The Bill has not been put in place yet is under going discussion.
Overall the current government wishes to put in place a small array of constitutional reforms, yet it seems that this is counter acted by the removal of reforms put in place by previous Labour governments. Its likely that with a majority in Parliament, a large percentage of these reforms will be eventually passed. Most of Bills seem to attempt to get a better deal for England and the UK whilst not being too ambitious or risking the cutting of ties with the European Union completely.
