After many years thinking about how a healthy society should govern itself, I have settled on a number of key reforms that I think would make Britain’s political system fit for a mature society.
In summer 2019, I put some of those reforms forward as parliamentary petitions. Unfortunately, any chance they had of attracting attention was overwhelmed by the continuing debate over Brexit, and they were cancelled when Parliament was dissolved for the 2019 election. (Links open in a separate tab)
Malcolm Ramsay
September 2019 (updated March 2020)
Electoral Reform
Live – please sign and share widely:
- Let an independent body choose the voting system for electing MPs
- Let an independent body decide how MPs can be recalled by their constituents
- Put an option on ballot papers for a ‘jury’s choice’ MP
Integrity of Parliament / Separation of Powers
Live – please sign and share widely:
- Require Parliamentary approval for appointment or removal of the PM
- Require Parliamentary approval for all ministerial appointments and removal
Currently awaiting approval before publication on Parliament’s website:
- Stop the Government controlling Parliament’s business
- Stop political parties telling MPs how to vote on specific issues
Sovereignty / Local Autonomy
Currently awaiting approval before publication on Parliament’s website:
- Give us a democratically accountable overseer of government
- Recognise local communities’ sovereignty in local affairs
- Make members of the House of Lords representatives of local councils
Integrity of Law
Currently awaiting approval before publication on Parliament’s website:
- Stop the courts enforcing unfair or out-of-date laws
- Require lawyers to help keep the law coherent and up to date
Pathway to Reform
Live – please sign and share widely:
- Debate whether the referendum can be honoured without leaving the EU
- Independently elected body to propose reforms to the UK’s political system
Currently awaiting approval before publication on Parliament’s website:
Local Sovereignty 