Great expectations
The BBC:
Former chancellor Ken Clarke is expected to call for ministers to exert less control over the Commons in a report for the Conservative Party.
Mr Clarke, heading up the Tories’ democracy taskforce, is also likely to suggest giving select committees more powers to scrutinise the government.
He is expected to recommend more Commons time for bills from individual MPs – rather than from ministers.
Mr Clarke has described the political system as “broken”.
He is expected to call for a business committee to be set up to control the parliamentary timetable.
Mr Clarke was appointed by Tory leader David Cameron in 2005 to look at the party’s constitutional policies.
In an interim report in March, he criticised what he called Tony Blair’s “presidential” and “sofa-style” of government.
Mr Clarke also said a new ministerial code was needed, clarifying the responsibilities of the prime minister and secretaries of state.
He demanded a reduction in the number of special advisers and for parliamentary approval to be required before the UK goes to war.
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