To: The Prime Minister
Citizens' Chamber to ensure manifesto compliance
Dear Prime Minister,
Please form a Citizens' Chamber. This would be an unelected body comprised of ordinary citizens serving short terms and called up in manner similar to jury service. The Citizens' Chamber would have one function: to decide whether proposed legislation is consistent with the manifesto on which the governing party was elected. Any legislation contrary to the election manifesto would have to be debated with a free vote in both Houses of Parliament. Only non-manifesto proposals which won these votes would be allowed to proceed through the legislative process.
Please form a Citizens' Chamber. This would be an unelected body comprised of ordinary citizens serving short terms and called up in manner similar to jury service. The Citizens' Chamber would have one function: to decide whether proposed legislation is consistent with the manifesto on which the governing party was elected. Any legislation contrary to the election manifesto would have to be debated with a free vote in both Houses of Parliament. Only non-manifesto proposals which won these votes would be allowed to proceed through the legislative process.
Why is this important?
Cynicism with our political process is widespread, and a major cause is the impunity with which a political party can completely ignore the manifesto on which it was elected. The whipped House of Commons fails to call the executive to account. A non-party-political Citizens' Chamber would act as an important check and balance, ensuring governing parties keep to the election promises they made.
