Chapter 9
Democracy: Power devolved,
citizens empowered
Forward to reform and
decentralisation not back to
opportunism and neglect
1979-1997: Power centralised to Whitehall
1997-2005: Power devolved to Scotland,
Wales, London
2010: Stronger local government, with
local communities able to make
the key decisions about their
own neighbourhoods
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In our first two terms we enshrined a new constitutional settlement
between the nations of the United Kingdom. In our
next term we will complete the reform of the House of Lords
so that it is a modern and effective revising Chamber.And we
will devolve more power to local authorities and local communities,
giving people real power over the issues that matter
most to them.
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The new Labour case
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Widening access to power is as important as widening access to wealth
and opportunity. National standards are important to ensure fairness.
But the best way to tackle exclusion is to give choice and power to
those left behind. Our political institutions – including our own party –
must engage a population overloaded with information, diverse in its
values and lifestyles, and sceptical of power. However, people are passionate
about politics – when they see it affects them. So our challenge
is to bridge the chasm between government and governed. Our third
term will build upon our unprecedented programme of constitutional
reform embedding a culture of devolved government at the centre and
self-government in our communities.
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Building from the neighbourhood up
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People want a sense of control over their own neighbourhood. Not a
new tier of neighbourhood government, but new powers over the
problems that confront them when they step outside their front door –
issues like litter, graffiti and anti-social behaviour.That is why we will
offer neighbourhoods a range of powers from which they can choose,
including:
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* New powers for parish councils to deal with anti-social behaviour.
* Powers for local people to trigger action in response to persistent local
problems.
* Community funds for local neighbourhoods to spend on local priorities.
* New opportunities for communities to assume greater responsibility or
even ownership of community assets like village halls,community centres,
libraries or recreational facilities.
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Good parish councils engage communities and make a real difference,
so we will extend the right to establish parish councils to communities
in London.
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A vibrant civil society
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We believe that enterprises in the mutual and cooperative sector have
an important role to play in the provision of local services, from health
to education, from leisure to care for the vulnerable. As democratic,
not-for-profit organisations, they can help to involve local people in
shaping the services they want, unleash creativity and innovation, create
jobs and provide new services – especially in neighbourhoods
where traditional services have failed local people in the past.
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We have introduced a new legal form – the Community Interest
Company (CIC) – and want to support new enterprises. As a major
stimulus to this sector, central government and local authorities will
work with these ‘social enterprises’ wherever possible.Where services
can be provided by mutuals, cooperatives or CICs to the required standards
of quality and value for money, they should be positively encouraged
to develop and be included in procurement policies.We will
discuss with local authorities the best way to achieve this.
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In a range of services the voluntary and community sector has shown
itself to be innovative, efficient and effective. Its potential for service
delivery should be considered on equal terms.We will continue to
improve the context in which the gifting of time and resources to the
voluntary sector takes place.We will reintroduce the widely supported
reforms in the Charities Bill.
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We understand that often the spark for local innovation and change
comes from one or two dedicated, visionary individuals.These people,
sometimes dubbed ‘social entrepreneurs’, deserve our full support.
We will develop a framework of incentives and rewards, to recognise
the special people in every community whose voluntary efforts transform
the lives of others.
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A better alternative for young people
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We know that parents and young people think that there should be
more things to do and places to go for teenagers.We will publish plans
to reform provision in order to ensure that all young people have access
to a wider set of activities after the school day such as sport and the
arts.We are determined that better provision will be allied to a stronger
voice for the young themselves in designing and managing local provision.
We will establish the first ever national framework for youth volunteering,
action and engagement – a modern national youth
community service, led by young people themselves – with an investment
over the next three years of up to £100 million with matched
funding from business, the voluntary sector and the Lottery.
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Councils: more freedom, less bureaucracy
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Strong communities ultimately require strong local government.We
will give councils further freedoms to deliver better local services, subject
to minimum national standards, with even greater freedoms for
top-performing councils.We will reduce unnecessary bureaucracy by
cutting both the cost of inspection and the total number of inspectorates,
and we will dramatically simplify the many funding streams
available to local areas through new Local Area Agreements.We will
also give councils greater stability by providing three-year funding.We
will continue to deliver efficiency savings and improvements to local
services through joint procurement, shared services, streamlining
administrative structures while promoting decision-making at the
level that will make a difference.We will continue to strengthen the
community leadership role of local authorities working in partnership
with public, voluntary and private bodies.
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Stronger leadership
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Strong local government requires strong leadership.We will ensure
that councils are organised in the most effective way to lead and support
local partnerships and deliver high-quality services.We will
explore giving people a more direct opportunity to express a view
about whether they would like to have a directly elected mayor.We will
also consult with city councils on the powers needed for a new generation
of city mayors. And we will examine the case for simplifying the
current local government election cycle by moving towards ‘whole
council’ elections every four years.
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Council tax under control
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Labour recognises the concerns that have been raised about the level
of council tax. This year we have delivered the lowest council tax
increase in over a decade through a combination of extra investment
and tough action to cap excessive increases.
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We will continue to invest in local services with year-on-year increases
in grants to local councils, and will not hesitate to use our capping
powers to protect council taxpayers from excessive rises in council tax.
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We remain concerned that many council taxpayers are not claiming
reductions in their council tax bills to which they are already entitled.
We will therefore introduce measures to make it easier for pensioners
and people on low incomes to claim Council Tax Benefit.
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In the longer term,we are committed to reforming council tax and will
consider carefully the conclusions of the Lyons Review into local government
finance.
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The nations and regions of the UK
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In our first term, we devolved power to Scotland and Wales and
restored city-wide government to London. Britain is stronger as a
result. In the next Parliament, we will decentralise power further. In
Wales we will develop democratic devolution by creating a stronger
Assembly with enhanced legislative powers and a reformed structure
and electoral system to make the exercise of Assembly responsibilities
clearer and more accountable to the public.We will also review the
powers of the London Mayor and the Greater London Authority. And
we will devolve further responsibility to existing regional bodies in
relation to planning, housing, economic development and transport.
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Northern Ireland
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The Belfast Agreement on Good Friday 1998, was a remarkable
achievement. Life in Northern Ireland is immeasurably better as a
result. A huge programme of reform in policing, justice and rights,
together with the lowest ever unemployment has helped address the
inequalities of the past and has created a new confidence.
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It is unacceptable that seven years after the agreement there are still
paramilitary groups involved in criminality and punishment attacks.
This has to end.The period of transition is over. Unionist politicians
have made it clear that they are prepared to share power with nationalists
and republicans if violence is ended once and for all. It is time for
all groups in Northern Ireland to make it clear they will only use democratic
and peaceful means to advance their aims.
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We will work tirelessly with the parties in Northern Ireland and with
the Irish government to re-establish the devolved institutions. But this
can only happen on an inclusive basis if the IRA ends paramilitarism
and criminality for good and decommissions its weapons. Bringing
this about so that normal politics can take over in the Province will be
our principal aim.
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Loyalist paramilitary violence and criminality is equally intolerable.We
will ensure that it is dealt with severely while providing the assistance
necessary to Loyalist communities to ensure that prosperity is spread
throughout Northern Ireland.
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Parliamentary reform
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Labour has already taken steps to make the House of Commons more
representative, through all-women shortlists. Labour will also continue
to support reforms that improve parliamentary accountability and
scrutiny led by the successful Modernisation Committee.
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In our first term, we ended the absurdity of a House of Lords dominated
by hereditary peers. Labour believes that a reformed Upper
Chamber must be effective, legitimate and more representative without
challenging the primacy of the House of Commons.
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Following a review conducted by a committee of both Houses,we will
seek agreement on codifying the key conventions of the Lords, and
developing alternative forms of scrutiny that complement rather than
replicate those of the Commons; the review should also explore how
the upper chamber might offer a better route for public engagement in
scrutiny and policy-making.We will legislate to place reasonable limits
on the time bills spend in the second chamber – no longer than 60 sitting
days for most bills.
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As part of the process of modernisation,we will remove the remaining
hereditary peers and allow a free vote on the composition of the
House.
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Labour remains committed to reviewing the experience of the new
electoral systems – introduced for the devolved administrations, the
European Parliament and the London Assembly. A referendum
remains the right way to agree any change for Westminster.
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Having been the first government to take action to clean up the funding
of political parties, we will continue to work with the independent
Electoral Commission to explore how best to support the vital democratic
role of political parties while recognising that campaigning activity
must always be funded by parties from their own resources.
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Since 1997 there has been a flowering of innovative forms of public
engagement, for example, the Citizens Council used by the National
Institute for Clinical Excellence to advise on ethical dilemmas.With
the growing importance of new public policy issues and dilemmas –
particularly those arising from scientific advances – we will continue to
explore new and innovative forms of public engagement raising their
profile and status in policy-making.
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A voice for all
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A fully democratic society depends on giving everyone a voice and
stake. Only Labour governments have ever introduced race relations
legislation, and laws passed in 2000 are ensuring that all public bodies
promote diversity and tackle discrimination against black and Asian
Britons.We will continue to promote civil rights for disabled people,
ensuring full implementation of the new positive duty on the public
sector to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.We will
also introduce a similar duty to promote equality of opportunity
between women and men, and will further extend protection against
discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief.We are committed
to improving the rights and opportunities of gays and lesbians,
that’s why we brought in legislation on civil partnerships, reducing the
age of consent, repealed Section 28 and reformed the sexual offences
legislation so that it was no longer discriminatory.
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It remains our firm and clear intention to give people of all faiths the
same protection against incitement to hatred on the basis of their religion.
We will legislate to outlaw it and will continue the dialogue we
have started with faith groups from all backgrounds about how best to
balance protection, tolerance and free speech.
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We are proud to have brought in the Human Rights Act, enabling
British citizens to take action in British courts rather than having to
wait years to seek redress in Strasbourg. But rights must be balanced
by responsibilities. So we will continue to bear down on abusive or
frivolous claims.
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In the next Parliament we will establish a Commission on Equality and
Human Rights to promote equality for all and, tackle discrimination,
and introduce a Single Equality Act to modernise and simplify
equality legislation.
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The choice for 2010
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The Tories have only one policy on democratic reform – opportunism.
Arch centralisers when in office, they now claim to be
localists.Having refused for decades to accept any reform of the
archaic House of Lords, some of them now claim to support
a fully elected House.The choice is forward with new Labour to
modern institutions and more power than ever devolved to
communities and successful local authorities. Or back with
the Tories to a government indifferent to the health of our
democracy and negligent of our institutions.
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