PM Brown's reform bill reeks of desperation

As the expenses scandal in Parliament draws to some form of conclusion, attention is rightly turning to wider issues of reform of our democratic process.


They are not all the fault of politicians; some are a reflection of a change in our pattern of life, of work and of our interests.

We are now a society where many more people are prepared to sign up to interests and issues, such as the RSPB, Countryside Alliance or Amnesty International than join political parties.

Those of us in them seem to have lost the ability to persuade people that, important though their groups and associations may be, it will still be Parliament and politicians that will be the ultimate decision makers.


The reform of Parliament, whether of the voting system, its internal workings or its connection with the public, is serious business.

To come to it with an amendment to a Bill in the last weeks of a 13-year government is just not good enough.

Why should the public have just this one option? Where has been the public consultation? What are the implications? If you want a better picture of reform, I would commend what David Cameron has said, which is in line with a series of comments he has made over many months.

Reduced number of MPs, more equal sized constituencies so every vote counts, the chance to petition Parliament and a reform of the lobbying rules for greater transparency.

The truth is that the next Parliament needs to have reform as a key element running right through it, not some convenient, but flawed, quick fix before May 6.

So I am afraid I was not tempted with this ploy.

I think the public deserve rather better, and voted accordingly.