Straw opposed to Citizens’ Convention

Guy Aitchison (London, OK): In an interview in today’s Times Jack Straw promised wide public involvement in constitutional reform but appeared to rule out the prospect of a citizens’ convention to agree the changes. His comments will frustrate campaigners who have called for just such a convention as a way of achieving the Government’s declared aims of restoring trust in politics and strengthening public engagement - not least Unlock Democracy who have drafted a Citizens’ Convention Bill sponsored by MPs from all three major parties, and the Power Inquiry whose 'make it an issue' petition made similar demands. Straw seems to prefer the use of citizens’ juries to discuss a “bill of rights and responsibilities” and a “possible written constitution”, but it is still unclear what kind of binding powers they will have, if any. Surely a citizens’ convention is the only guarantee that constitutional reform will not become yet another top-down, purely consultative exercise. As Paul Hilder puts it below, “do we want Straw to be sole interpreter and summer up?”.