British Polotics
A major issue within British politics has been constitutional reforms; the reform of the Lords, devolution and the potential for a written constitution. How effective have been the reforms that have been passed?
The centrepiece of Labour’s programme of constitutional reform was undoubtedly devolution. This was achieved with remarkably few problems. There now seems no likelihood that the new arrangements could be reversed, even by a Conservative administration. The election on 6th May 1999 of a Parliament in Scotland, with extensive powers of primary legislation, and an Assembly in Wales, with powers of secondary legislation only, will have a profound impact on governance within the UK. In Northern Ireland there is an Assembly with a complex power-sharing arrangement, but it will wield significant authority only if agreement between the parties can be reached. Only England has, so far, been left out of the devolution framework. Although power has been devolved to a Greater London Assembly and Mayor, this represents city rather than regional governance.
Promises of ‘revitalising’ local government, by granting it more powers in return for more stringent responsibilities, have largely been unrealised. The regions themselves have had since April 1999 regional development agencies, but these are national bodies appointed by ministers and not regional bodies directly answerable to an electorate. There has been some relaxation of controls on local spending, but this does not represent significant reform. It should be emphasised that, despite these decentralising tendencies, there has also been a good deal of centralisation of administrative power into the Cabinet Office and the Prime Minister’s own office. Both represent important constitutional development but they are in opposite directions. In the summer of 2002, John Prescott, the minister responsible for the regions, spoke of his desire to give to English regions more devolved power similar to...
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