Keeping the government in check January 19, 2010

Organised by CentreForum in Association with the Constitution Society

Over the past eight years the government has made several attempts to introduce legislation giving ministers powers to vary or suspend statute without Parliamentary consent and limiting the power of the courts to review administrative actions. Constitutional changes have been made with little or no public debate. To some, these attempts provide compelling evidence of the absolutist ambitions of the executive – ambitions that, ironically, have often been thwarted by the unelected second chamber.
But is the danger of authoritarianism being exaggerated? And if it isn’t, what should be done about it? Some argue that nothing short of a written constitution can limit the power of an over-mighty executive. Would this aggravate the perception of a ‘democratic deficit’ as legislative power passes from politicians to a newly politicised judiciary?

Participants:

* Sir Richard Mottram, former Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience in the Cabinet Office
* Professor Adam Tomkins, University of Glasgow
* David Hencke, Journalist

RSVP to 020 7340 1160 or [email protected]

Official Website: http://www.centreforum.org/events/forthcoming.html