Taking democratic reform beyond electoral reform | Bright Green
In 2004, as the centenary project of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, an inquiry was begun into the state of Britain’s democracy. The Power Inquiry, as it was known, finally reported, after hearing the contributions from hundreds of academics, politicians, institutions and individuals, in February 2006.
They made a total of 30 recommendations to improve the state of our democracy and give people “real influence over the bread and butter issues which affect their lives”.
From expanding the power of select committees to scrutinise the government and reducing the power of whips to a reformed House of Lords, votes a 16 and a cap on donations to political parties of £10,000 per individual or £100 per member for organisational donations, the scope was impressive.
