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22 May 2008 / Mark Ryan
Issue: 7322 / Categories: Features , Public , Procedure & practice , Constitutional law
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Sum of constituent parts

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Will the government's constitutional reforms make state power more accountable? Mark Ryan reports

In July 2007, Jack Straw MP, the secretary of state for justice and lord chancellor, unveiled a green paper (The Governance of Britain, Cm 7170) which set out to promote “a national conversation” on even further reform of the constitution. The foreword stated that the government wanted “to forge a new relationship between government and citizen, and begin the journey towards a new constitutional settlement—a settlement that entrusts parliament and the people with more power”. In particular, the green paper was concerned with making state power more accountable and enhancing citizens' rights and responsibilities. This was followed by the publication of consultation documents designed to engage the public and other interested parties in shaping the proposed constitutional changes.

On 25 March 2008, Straw made a statement in the House of Commons about the government's programme of constitutional renewal and he announced the publication of three documents:

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    ●     A white paper on constitutional renewal (The Governance of Britain—Constitutional
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