There are some campaigns which merit fervent support, not because they are necessarily politically non-partisan, religiously unprejudiced or sociologically expedient, but because they are just plain and simple common sense.The Power 2010 campaign is a laudable pursuit. They write:
‘Our democracy is in crisis. MPs fiddle while the planet burns. Our rights and freedoms are under attack. Bankers blow billions and the taxpayer foots the bill. We can't go on like this.
‘We need a healthy democracy that works for all of us and not just a powerful few. POWER2010 exists to help create it. It gives you the chance to have your say on how our democracy works so that together we can change it for the better.
‘Do you want cleaner funding? Fairer voting? More accountability? You decide. Tell us your ideas for changing the way we run our country. Those with most support will become the POWER2010 Pledge and the focus for our national campaign at the next election.’
The plan is, by public vote, to identify the five key reforms that will change the way we do politics in this country. They will then attempt to ensure that every candidate standing for election backs these reforms so that the next Parliament delivers change.
English Votes on English Laws is one potential reform.
It is not, of course, an English Parliament, but it remedies the manifest injustice perpetuated by the current devolution settlement, which permits matters of (say) English health and English education to be determined by Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs while English MPs are denied any reciprocal legislative powers on those competences which have been devolved. This permits Gordon Brown, a Scottish MP, to legislate to his heart’s content on issues in England which will never affect his own constituents.
Gareth Young has outlined the case for voting for this reform, and Cranmer commends it to you.
