UK Says No To AV

[Thanas]

But think of the poor elephants.

[Eternal_Freedom]

True. Within ten seconds you'd have a shitload of animal rights protesters joining the melee. And against the Lib Dems as well.......

This idea gets better every time

[Darth Mordius]

That was a reference to a reference of Fabius ...

[Thanas]

That was a reference to a reference of Fabius ...

...but he was referring to the specifc strategy, not the society.....

[Zaune]

The last government brought in wide reaching changes to the upper house and the devolved parliaments, this government seems likely to go even further under lib dem and nationalist pressure.

Devolved parliaments I'll grant you up to a point, though at least one of those devolved parliaments came about as a result of something a good deal more serious than really persuasive lobbying, but I'm not at all convinced that replacing hereditary peers with peers personally appointed by Tony Blair counts as a wide-reaching change.

Still, perhaps I should rephrase myself. Can anyone here name an example of a British government enacting a constitutional reform that wasn't either in its own interests or a desperate attempt to stave off armed revolt?

[Darth Tanner]

though at least one of those devolved parliaments came about as a result of something a good deal more serious than really persuasive lobbying

And that’s the one that is falling apart because of the religious bickering and petty small minded idiots involved in the Irish political system. In contrast Wales and Scotland are striving ahead with their devolved parliaments to the extent the Union is probably going to be dissolved within my life time.

Still, perhaps I should rephrase myself. Can anyone here name an example of a British government enacting a constitutional reform that wasn't either in its own interests or a desperate attempt to stave off armed revolt?

Are you suggesting that the Scots and Welsh were planning armed insurrection against the state if they didn't get their devolved parliaments and governments?

A few examples...

Human rights act 1998 adopting the European Convention on Human rights specifically limited parliaments and the governments powers in favour of the citizenry.

Constitutional reform act of 2005 introducing a Supreme Court removing power from parliament being the Supreme Court itself in the form of the Law Lords and the position of Lord Chancellor lost all its judicial powers to protect separation of powers.
Freedom of information act 2000, giving much more information to the public.

Seriously cynicism is all well and good, it’s not like you can’t find barrels full of mean spirited greed and incompetence in any government but to suggest that the UK government is incapable of doing anything that does not serve the governments specific interests is rather inane.