My government will propose Parliamentary and political reform to restore trust in democratic institutions and rebalance the relationship between the citizen and the state.
Queen's Speech
The Fixed-term Parliaments Bill will introduction of fixed five year parliaments. Under the proposals, the prime minister will not be able to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament unless he can win the backing of 55 per cent of MPs in a Commons vote.
The Liberal Democrats were keen on the idea of a fixed term parliament to stop their Conservative coalition partners calling a snap general election if they felt they could secure an overall majority.
While the 55 per cent threshold, proposed by the Conservative Party, reflected the specific balance of the parties in this Parliament and was designed to lock the Lib Dems into the coalition government. The plan for a five-year parliament means the next general election would be on May 7 2015.
However, the proposal has proved controversial, with former Conservative shadow Home Secretary David Davis calling the proposals a 'serious mistake' and a recipe for 'crippled government'.
Territorial Extent:
Any legislation will apply to the United Kingdom. All proposals are reserved in all three of the devolution settlements.
Progress:
House of Commons
1st reading: 22 July 2010
2nd reading: 13 September 2010
Committee stage:
1st sitting: 16 November 2010
2nd sitting: 24 November 2010
3rd sitting: 1 December 2010
Report stage: 18 January 2011
3rd reading: 18 January 2011
House of Lords
1st reading: 19 January 2011
2nd reading: 1 March 2011
Committee stage:
1st sitting: 15 March 2011
2nd sitting: 21 March 2011
3rd sitting: 23 March 2011
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd