Brown to spell out Parliament reforms
- 00:01:29
- ITN
Brown to spell out Parliament reforms
Gordon Brown will announce measures to clean up the Commons after narrowly avoiding a backbench coup. The Prime Minister will spell out plans for urgent legislation to create an independent authority to regulate Parliament and remove MPs' power to set their own pay and expenses. He will also call for a debate on reform to the voting system for general elections, though Downing Street played down reports that he would propose an alternative to the first-past-the-post system. Mr Brown's statement is also expected to include changes to strengthen the parliamentary committees that scrutinise the Government's work and an indication that ministers are ready to press ahead with further House of Lords reform. The move is widely seen as a bid to get Mr Brown back on the front foot and restore momentum following Labour's dismal showing in the council and European elections Mr Brown narrowly headed off a backbench rebellion on Monday, with Labour rebels abandoning plans to publish a list of 50-60 names expressing no confidence in their leader. But Mr Brown is expected to see off comfortably an attempt to force an election through a joint Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru motion calling for the dissolution of Parliament, due to be debated in the Commons later.
ITN | June 10, 2009
