A better world is possible - Global Commons Institute

Copyright Bruce Nixon 2010. All rights reserved. This electronic copy is provided free for personal, non-commercial use only.
www.brucenixon.com
With the exception of the rule of law, all that is left of the old constitution are its least desirable elements:
winner-takes-all elections and Prime Ministerial power – the latter greater than ever.
Constitutional reform has taken place in a piecemeal fashion. Radical change has been made with no overall
sense of the kind of country reforms were designed to build. Each reform has been enacted without a real
idea of how it would impact on the others. For example, we have had:
Devolution to Scotland, Wales and London whilst the England question has remained dangerously
unanswered. The result has been a destabilising sense of unfairness in England;
a Human Rights Act which the Government insists does not impact on the sovereignty of Parliament
and has yet to capture the public imagination, few seeing its relevance to them;
Reform of local government that actually reduce its openness and accountability;
Top-down reform which has helped to foster growing voter disenchantment and cynicism with
politics in a period of unprecedented constitutional change.
If voters are to become citizens they must have a fundamental document without which they remain
powerless to exercise control over those who govern in their name between general elections. As a member
of a European Union, the need for Britain to be clear about its self-definition is all the greater. The process of
creating a Bill of Rights would help to foster this. The time has come for a new constitutional settlement.
Unlock Democracy wants to see a citizen-led Bill of Rights. This is what the process should do:
be created with maximum public involvement;
guarantee political equality and help society aspire towards social equality;
protect democratic representation in and authority over government and public affairs;
provide a framework for the stable rule of law;
ensure that individuals can claim and protect their rights;
empower citizens as individuals and members of communities of all types, defending every citizen’s
right to be free from discrimination;
define being a 'good citizen' as exercising the power to say 'no', to hold authority of all kinds to
account, and to resist as well as endorse and assist elected authority;
describe what citizens share and protect the differences we enjoy; indeed, it should map and enable
differences and help to ensure they are protected as a common, living inheritance.
Citizens’ Convention Citizens have not been sufficiently involved in the changes that have taken place and
have insufficient understanding of them or appreciation of their value. A Citizen’s Convention is the means
for providing this much needed involvement. It is important to have a debate about social and economic
rights and whether they should be included in any new Bill of Rights. Hence a Citizens’ Convention is an
important part of the process of creating a Bill of Rights.
War Powers
This is a short, edited extract from Unlock Democracy’s “War Powers and Treaties Consultation” available
from Unlock Democracy.
Stronger powers are needed for Parliament to veto or approve the deployment of troops and to increase
Parliament’s role in the ratification of treaties. In a democracy, decision-making should be open to scrutiny,
accountable to elected representatives and ultimately to the people. The decision to send troops into armed
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