Nick Clegg's speech on renewing democracy today was very encouraging.  Indeed, I like to think that a number of his ideas have been borrowed from the book I wrote about it with Daniel Hannan, The Plan.

One of the most encouraging things about what Clegg says he'll do is that it'll allow those we elect to do more to hold government ministers to account.  I love the talk about shifting power away from the centre.

Alas, the suggestion that we might abolish the Conservative backbench forum (1922 committee) would make it more difficult to hold ministers and frontbenchers to account.  This measure would centralise power.

I voted against it.



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