Tory Task Force alert

Anthony Barnett (London, OK): Today’s Daily Mail reports that this week will see the Conservative Party announce “The publication of the findings of Mr Clarke's democracy 'task force'” This is the group chaired by Kenneth Clark which David Cameron set up when he became leader. It is working across the whole constitutional agenda. Some of the proposals that the Mail reports as ‘to be announced’ were published some time ago in the task force’s first report on ending ‘sofa government’ (such as the legal right for the Cabinet to see major policy papers and a Civil Service Act). My understanding is that this week will see its next report on how to strengthen the House of Commons, with more reports still to come. The approach seems to be how to make the existing system work better, a true Conservative objective. But what about decentralisation, now a hot Tory issue (see Zac Goldsmith's post below and Direct Democracy) - when our system is historically so unitary and centralised? Or the national question? Can these issues be solved by improving the old regime? The remit of the task force in its range and detail is unprecedented for the Tories. This also is a sign of the radicalism of the issue, at least in British terms. Watch this space.