Why Parliament Fails Us
What Parliament Should be

Contents

Home.
Only Half a Democracy.
How Government Fails Us.
Government and Environment.
Global Context.
Citizens and Corporations.
Taking Liberties.
Why Parliament Fails Us.
  What Parliament Should be.
  Powers of Ministers.
  Legislation.
  Accountability.
  Controlling Business.
Remedies.
Barriers to Reform.
The Local Dimension.
A New Kind of Party.
Your Issues.
What's New.
References.
Help Needed.

Contact David Smith at:


savingdemocracy@googlemail.com

Why Parliament Fails Us - What Parliament Should be

It is impossible to discuss the failings of Parliament without first listing that it is supposed to do. If it is accepted that government should govern with the consent of Parliament, then Parliament has three duties:

  1. To determine the powers of ministers
  2. To pass only laws that:
    • are consistent with election manifestos or justified by circumstances
    • are proportionate to the needs of the situation
    • are not designed to achieve objectives that could be achieved by proper application of existing law
    • are likely to achieve the government's stated objectives
    • preserve human rights
  3. To hold government to account
Parliament, as we shall show, has a poor record on all of these duties. For example an independent parliament would not tolerate the Prime Minister wielding powers by reason of the Royal Prerogative, but would claim the right to define executive powers in legislation.

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Page Last Updated 19 August 2007.