Gordon Brown showing the way

Griff • Jul 13, 2007 7:53 am
So now I propose that in twelve areas important to our national life, the Prime Minister and executive should surrender or limit their powers - the exclusive exercise of which by the Government should have no place in a modern democracy.

These are:

[COLOR="Red"]the power of the executive to declare war;[/COLOR]the power to request the dissolution of Parliament;
the power over recall of Parliament;
the power of the executive to ratify international treaties without decision by Parliament;
the power to make key public appointments without effective scrutiny;
the power to restrict Parliamentary oversight of the intelligence services;
power to choose bishops;
power in the appointment of judges;
power to direct prosecutors in individual criminal cases;
power over the civil service itself;
and the executive powers to determine the rules governing entitlement to passports and the granting of pardons.

We could use such restraints ourselves. Good luck Mr. Brown.
Undertoad • Jul 13, 2007 10:00 am
power to choose bishops;

Wait, what?
DanaC • Jul 13, 2007 10:11 am
Hehe. Ya didn't know that huh?
Undertoad • Jul 13, 2007 10:30 am
Nope, somehow that one escaped my attention. Is it just C of E?
DanaC • Jul 13, 2007 10:44 am
Yep. It's one of those intriguing constitutional hangovers from an earlier age.
Undertoad • Jul 13, 2007 10:46 am
Well, it's still weird, and it sounds like Mr Brown is taking the right first step.
DanaC • Jul 13, 2007 11:50 am
Absolutely. It's a bloody ridiculous right for a secular Prime minister to have.
Griff • Jul 13, 2007 12:06 pm
DanaC;363557 wrote:
Absolutely. It's a bloody ridiculous right for a secular Prime minister to have.


Try telling that to the Chinese!
DanaC • Jul 13, 2007 12:19 pm
Good point.
Urbane Guerrilla • Jul 13, 2007 1:06 pm
Well, it's definitely "hmmm"-worthy.
xoxoxoBruce • Jul 13, 2007 5:57 pm
Lord Bush is green with envy.
Urbane Guerrilla • Jul 17, 2007 5:07 am
Why, Bruce, you sound like you're sure W. will be President-For-Life.

Too bad for that argument that we don't actually do things that way.

The conservatives understood this even while we groaned under Clinton's abuses.
DanaC • Jul 17, 2007 7:11 pm
wtf?
xoxoxoBruce • Jul 17, 2007 7:36 pm
Urbane Guerrilla;364800 wrote:
Why, Bruce, you sound like you're sure W. will be President-For-Life.

No, not at all... he's just worried about unquestioning obedience during his reign. He isn't worried about later... retired presidents live pretty well, you know.

The conservatives understood this even while we groaned under Clinton's abuses.
You mean all conservatives had the hots for Monica?