Kavanagh et al: British Politics 5e
Political commentary
Essay questionsKavanagh et al: British Politics 5e
Gordon Brown and the 'Governance of Britain' Green Paper: The Right Approach to Constitutional Reform?
Following his appointment as Prime Minister on 27th June, Gordon Brown and his Cabinet colleagues spent the month of July outlining a series of new policy initiatives. Indeed, on 11th July the new Prime Minister announced 23 bills that would feature in the next parliamentary session, with measures to build more affordable housing at the top of an extensive agenda.
Commentators spent much of the month seeking to identify where the policy of the Brown government will differ from that of Tony Blair's. One area which provides some interesting insights is constitutional reform. One of the very first acts of the Brown government was to issue a green paper (a consultative document which outlines government proposals) on Britain's constitutional arrangements on 3rd July.
The green paper is focused upon four main concerns. First, it claims that power is too centralised in the British system of government. Secondly, it suggests that it is not clear what powers government should and should not hold. Thirdly, the growth in political disengagement in the UK is identified as a particularly worrying recent trend in need of remedial efforts. Finally, the green paper notes and seeks to address a continuing uncertainty in respect of the meaning of British identity in the modern world.
A long sequence of reforms emerge from these concerns. They include new provisions for parliamentary approval for the deployment of British troops abroad, the dissolution of Parliament, the ratification of treaties, and defining the rules of the Civil Service. In addition, it is suggested that Select Committees should take a greater role in the scrutiny of public appointments and that the Commons should have annual debates on all government departments' plans and objectives.
Consultation is promised on proposals to introduce weekend voting and the government recommits itself to Labour's manifesto commitment to review the experience of new voting systems introduced since 1997. Also reaffirmed are plans to continue reform of the House of Lords with the introduction of a substantially or wholly elected second chamber.
The green paper considers, without any commitment, arguments for the codification of the British Constitution and for the introduction of a British Bill of Rights and Duties in addition to those rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights. However, it is a statement of British values which emerges as the more immediate priority in the green paper, and the government promises to trigger an inclusive national debate on such values over the coming months.
Taken as a whole, the green paper suggests that constitutional reform will remain an ongoing concern for the Labour government despite the change of Prime Minister. However, whether these reforms will eventually materialise in the form outlined and whether they will address the concerns which have generated them is a matter which students of British politics will need to keep under review in the coming months and years of the Brown government.
Critical Thinking Questions
Read the green paper, "The Governance of Britain" (available at: www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm71/7170/7170.asp) and answer the following questions:
1) Do you think that the proposals contained within the green paper will answer the long established criticisms of the British Constitution? Give reasons for your answer.
2) Of the reforms proposed in the green paper, identify which would have the most profound impact if implemented? Outline how British politics would change as a consequence of this reform.
3) One of the concerns of the green paper is to address the disengagement of a significant proportion of British citizens from the political process. Critically evaluate how effective the reforms proposed in the green paper would be in promoting political engagement.
4) The green paper proposes a statement of British values. What values do you think the statement should contain?
5) On the basis of the proposals contained in the green paper, evaluate whether the trajectory of constitutional reform under Gordon Brown is broadly similar or profoundly different to that undertaken by the Blair governments.
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