How Parliament could change

Abstract

In any democratic system, representative institutions must be ready to change their roles and procedures to match the changing needs and characteristics of society as a whole. Indeed, the United Kingdom Parliament at Westminster has over the centuries evolved considerably, in line with developments in the life of the nation. Parliamentarians must accept that their present procedures are not sacrosanct, but need constant re-examination to see how they can be improved to serve the community better. In this final chapter, we therefore consider some of the current suggestions for change in the parliamentary system of the United Kingdom and how those suggestions would, if applied, affect the detailed working of Parliament. In particular, the following pages include discussion of suggestions for electoral reform, for the use of referenda, for reform or abolition of the House of Lords, for procedural reform in the House of Commons, and for the extension of parliamentary broadcasting.