The Coalition has introduced a number of reforms designed to make parliament more efficient and more accountable, such as E Petitions, power of recall, the equalisation of constituencies, a reduction in the powers of the Prime Minister and Fixed Term parliaments. Select Committees have also been further reformed, while there are major plans for to make the House of Lords primarily elective.

The EQUALISATIION IN THE SIZE OF CONSTITUENCIES to between 72,000 – 80, removing anomalies whereby some constituencies can have 30% more voters than others, might seem relatively un-contentious. However, critics argue that the Electoral Register has not been sufficiently updated for such a radical overhaul of voting, while the new constituencies will often have to cross county borders and urban / countryside boundaries thus complicating the interests that MPs represent. The reduction of MPs from 650 to 600 is also controversial as it will statistically reduce representation in the Commons, as well as proportionally increasing the influence of government in a reduced legislature.

There has though been a great deal of support, too, for FIXED TERM PARLIAMENTS since this takes away from the Prime Minister the right to call a General Election at his or her convenience. However, other reforms have been a great deal more controversial; the new ruling that a VOTE OF CONFIDENCE in the government can only be provoked by a vote of 55% in the House of Commons has been condemned as being undemocratic and giving too much power to the executive to carry on in government after it has, potentially, lost the approval of the House of Commons.

There has though, justifiably, been broad support for the introduction of POWER OF RECALL, whereby if an MP has been accused of acting corruptly 10% of his or her constituents will be able to provoke a by election. This would