British Conservative leader calls for change.

Dantheman62 · 05-26-2009, 08:38 PM

LONDON – Conservative Party leader David Cameron called Tuesday for sweeping reforms to Britain's political system, part of an aggressive damage-control campaign that has made him the only political figure to gain ground from a scandal over lawmakers' expenses.

Cameron — widely expected to be the next prime minister — is now on record as wanting to find ways to increase the authority of parliament and limit the prime minister's powers, possibly by ending the leader's ability to schedule elections.

"We will begin a massive redistribution of power in our country, from the powerful to the powerless, from the political elite to the man and the woman in the street," he said.

Cameron has dominated the airwaves and newspapers since the first hours of the scandal, when he said that wrongdoers within his party would be forced out, appearing to take more forceful action that Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose Labour Party lawmakers were also implicated.

Cameron called several days ago for disgruntled citizens with no political experience to run for parliament under the Conservative banner. On Tuesday he pressed for more change, arguing that individual lawmakers should get more say in how they vote — rather than being forced to follow the party line. Leaders should also consider curtailing the immense power of the prime minister, who can decide when to hold elections, he said.

He also detailed plans to slash the number of lawmakers by at least 10 percent and to give voters the chance to have proposals backed by large petitions debated by the Commons. And he pledged to reverse a ban on parliamentary proceedings being shown on YouTube.

"It's quite canny," said political journalist and broadcaster Julia Langdon, who is developing a television show about the Labour Party's fall from grace. "He certainly trumped Gordon Brown because he has thought for himself and reacted effectively in a way that Brown is not capable of because of his character. Everything Brown does is very considered and makes him look weaker, so Cameron is going to shine like a bright light in the sky."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090526/...maker_expenses

05-26-2009, 08:38 PM	#1
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	British Conservative leader calls for change. LONDON – Conservative Party leader David Cameron called Tuesday for sweeping reforms to Britain's political system, part of an aggressive damage-control campaign that has made him the only political figure to gain ground from a scandal over lawmakers' expenses. Cameron — widely expected to be the next prime minister — is now on record as wanting to find ways to increase the authority of parliament and limit the prime minister's powers, possibly by ending the leader's ability to schedule elections. "We will begin a massive redistribution of power in our country, from the powerful to the powerless, from the political elite to the man and the woman in the street," he said. Cameron has dominated the airwaves and newspapers since the first hours of the scandal, when he said that wrongdoers within his party would be forced out, appearing to take more forceful action that Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose Labour Party lawmakers were also implicated. Cameron called several days ago for disgruntled citizens with no political experience to run for parliament under the Conservative banner. On Tuesday he pressed for more change, arguing that individual lawmakers should get more say in how they vote — rather than being forced to follow the party line. Leaders should also consider curtailing the immense power of the prime minister, who can decide when to hold elections, he said. He also detailed plans to slash the number of lawmakers by at least 10 percent and to give voters the chance to have proposals backed by large petitions debated by the Commons. And he pledged to reverse a ban on parliamentary proceedings being shown on YouTube. "It's quite canny," said political journalist and broadcaster Julia Langdon, who is developing a television show about the Labour Party's fall from grace. "He certainly trumped Gordon Brown because he has thought for himself and reacted effectively in a way that Brown is not capable of because of his character. Everything Brown does is very considered and makes him look weaker, so Cameron is going to shine like a bright light in the sky." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090526/...maker_expenses