The constitutional review by former prime minister Gordon Brown, which has been seen by MPs and shadow cabinet ministers, recommends devolving new economic powers, including taxation, and creating new independent councils of nations and England. The review, seen by the Guardian, recommends:
New taxation powers for some devolved governments, which could include stamp duty. Powers to local people to push bills through parliament through democratically elected bodies. Constitutional guarantee of social and economic rights. Mayors’ powers to fund education, transport and research.
Brown also recommends cracking down on standards in central government and parliament, including a jury of ordinary citizens – chosen by vote – who will be able to rule on complaints against MPs and ministers through a new integrity and ethics commission. It recommends banning most second jobs for MPs, already announced by party leader Sir Keir Starmer, as well as new codes of conduct to replace the ministerial code and giving the electoral commission the power to impose bigger fines. The review has been the subject of intense internal debate and several shadow cabinet ministers have privately expressed skepticism about some of the proposals, which are radical and far-reaching. The measures are not expected to be agreed in time for the Labor conference and were scheduled for a major launch later in the year. Starmer hinted in his speech in Liverpool earlier this year that the reforms would “allow devolved and local government to make long-term economic decisions. To reap the fruits of investment in their economy. In this way you ensure that every city, every town, every place will have the responsibility of their contribution.” The House of Lords would be reformed as an assembly of counties and nations, with responsibility for safeguarding the constitution and with the power to refer the government to the supreme court. Work colleagues are consulted on the proposals. Local democratically elected bodies will be able to bring forward bills in parliament for local purposes, which the review says will allow English regional devolution to grow over time. At the heart of Brown’s recommendations is to give citizens a constitutional guarantee of social and economic rights, including the right to health care, education and social protection. He recommends giving regions financial powers to become the centers of new industries, citing the examples of financial services in Canary Wharf, biopharma in Cambridge and video games in Dundee. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Mayors could gain full powers over local training and further education budgets, as well as further powers over transport, infrastructure and planning. Local leaders could gain the powers to allocate local investment for national research and development funding at local universities. Local and devolved authorities will receive at least three years of funding to give them certainty about long-term planning. Brown was commissioned to undertake the revision by Starmer in September last year and the project has undergone a series of revisions. Starmer said the plans would put a “fresh and tangible offer” to voters who had drifted away from the party, especially the Scottish National party in Scotland and the Tories in the north of England. Starmer promised it would be “the boldest work Labor has undertaken in a generation and every bit as bold and radical as the devolution program delivered by Labor in the 1990s and 2000s”. Brown has made major interventions in recent months on the cost of living crisis, including hitting out at Starmer to announce a freeze on energy bills, but going further and saying the government should nationalize energy companies that won’t give consumers lower accounts . A Labor spokesman said: “This refers to one of several early drafts. The Commission has not yet taken an opinion on all these issues.”
