Graham Allen

Graham Allen is the Labour MP for Nottingham North. His ambition is to turn the UK into a democracy. He has written “Reinventing Democracy” and “The last Prime Minister; being honest about the UK Presidency”, and in 2010 was elected by Parliamentary colleagues as the Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee.

Why wait until 2020? We need to act on our democratic crisis now!

Why wait until 2020? The Labour Leadership candidates should assemble as many as are willing and get a constitutional convention going now in time to legislate in 2020.

By Graham Allen

/ 6 Aug 2015

The government says no to democratic reform

One of the first things this government has done is to effectively disband the Committee for political and constitutional reform.

By Graham Allen

/ 28 May 2015

What you can do for your democracy

Last week saw the launch of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee’s The UK Constitution – a pocket-sized, written constitution for the UK. Here's what you can do.

By Graham Allen

/ 25 Mar 2015

A new Magna Carta? A constitution fit for the 21st century

The 800th anniversary of Magna Carta is an opportunity for reform that we must all seize.

By Graham Allen

/ 10 Dec 2014

New report: parliament wants your view on getting voters engaged

My committee's new report on voter engagement is the most radical set of proposals for some time. But we want feedback, we want to know what the public think would improve the situation.

By Graham Allen

/ 14 Nov 2014

Have your say on the future of our democracy

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 A new Magna Carta? Take part in our consultation on whether or not we should adopt a written constitution for the UK.

By Graham Allen

/ 18 Aug 2014

A new Magna Carta?

Do we need to enact a new Magna Carta?

By Graham Allen

/ 10 Jul 2014

Time to elect the Prime Minister?

A new parliamentary report proposes the direct election of the Prime Minister and a clarification of his or her powers in statute. The Chair of the Committee that produced the report explains why.

By Graham Allen

/ 1 Jul 2014

Interview: what was really going on with the lobbying Bill?

Graham Allen MP, chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee, talks to OurKingdom about the highly controversial lobbying Bill that has just been passed by parliament.

By Oliver Huitson and Graham Allen

/ 31 Jan 2014

The government is refusing to honour its own commitments on giving powers to parliament

The British government's failure to keep its word on the issue demonstrates once again that it is determined to keep as much power in its own hands as possible. Parliamentary sovereignty remains a myth.

By Graham Allen

/ 11 Dec 2013

The Lobbying Bill fiasco - parliament has been abused

Charities are set to be silenced. The Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee explains the appalling process by which this government has bulldozed its astonishing Lobbying Bill through the British parliament. The government has shown a flagrant disregard for democracy. N

By Graham Allen

/ 15 Nov 2013

The Cabinet Manual on UK governance is no substitute for a written constitution

The Cabinet Manual - the closest Britain has every come to a written constitution - will be published shortly. As outlined in a new analysis of the manual, it is a poor substitute for a fully codified constitution

By Graham Allen

/ 7 Sep 2011