Much of Foreign policy is conducted under the Royal Prerogative, that is by ministers making decisions in the name of the Queen. These powers are not even hidden behind a cloak of democracy. They include the ratification of treaties, including trade agreements, and war making powers.

Gordon Brown promised that parliament will have some say in such decisions in future. In fact the Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill does nothing to limit the application of the Royal Prerogative in either of these spheres.

• In relation to ratification of treaties, the Bill would do no more than give statutory backing to the Ponsonby Rule, whereby the treaty is laid before the House of Commons for 21 sitting days, in case the House should decide to resolve not to ratify (fat chance). However the Bill creates some exceptions which weakens the rule.
• In relation to war making powers, the government does not propose dealing with these by legislation but by a resolution of the House of Commons. In circumstances defined by ministers, the House could vote on whether to allow the PM to deploy the armed forces, but this does not apply when a minister decides there is an emergency.

Even where prerogative powers are removed by parliament, the perception that this represents an increase in democracy may be false. British courts are now required to hand over a British subject to the U.S. or Turkey in answer to an extradition request that is not accompanied by any evidence suggesting that the subject is likely to be guilty of the alleged offence. But this is not because of any treaty, but by reason of the Extradition Act 2003, which was slipped quietly through parliament just before Christmas.