Mailwatch(ed) Forum

I have great respect for GB. He is still active, and has produced his Constitutional Review.

Wow.

It's being touted as 'abolition of the House of Lords', but it's much more.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... rt-reveals

The constitutional review by the former prime minister Gordon Brown, which has been seen by MPs and shadow cabinet ministers, recommends devolving new economic powers, including over taxation, and creating new independent councils of the nations and for England.

The review, seen by the Guardian, recommends:

New tax powers for some devolved governments, which could include stamp duty.
Powers for local people to promote bills in parliament via democratically elected bodies.
A constitutional guarantee of social and economic rights.
Powers for mayors on education, transport and research funding.

Brown also recommends a crackdown on standards in central government and parliament, including a jury of ordinary citizens – selected by ballot – being able to rule on complaints against MPs and ministers via a new integrity and ethics commission.

He recommends banning most second jobs for MPs, which the party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has already announced, as well as new codes of conduct to replace the ministerial code, and giving the electoral commission the power to hand out larger fines.

Love it!

The second jobs ban alone would decimate Tory ranks of the worst sort of self-interested bastard.

During the Owen Paterson business, there was a lot of whataboutery from the right about "an MP who's a practicing doctor won't be able to do their job". IIRC there were a few rules suggested, which tidied up the real issue, which was lobbying.

If you held the job before being elected, fair.
If the job is public sector/NFP, fair.
Salaried employment is OK, consultancies/retainers/directorships, not.

One idea I liked was that an MP has to explain the ins and outs of the business they "work" in. While I've no doubt Roseena Allin-Khan or Sarah Wollaston could give chapter and verse on being a doctor, I suspect Paterson's in depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry is rather more patchy.

Broon has been on telly and the radio today, talking absolute, inarguable, brilliantly considered, strategically vital, long-term good sense.

The man is a political titan, who by rights should still be Prime Minister.

Abernathy wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 7:40 pm Broon has been on telly and the radio today, talking absolute, inarguable, brilliantly considered, strategically vital, long-term good sense.

The man is a political titan, who by rights should still be Prime Minister.

Yeahbuthesoldthegold.

Ad he had a funny smile.

Nice to see him talking sense on the Kay Burley show on Sky TV.

Also, the great line, "I'm too old to be a British politician and too young to be an American one..."