BRITAIN: Conservative leader David Cameron has called for a curb on ministerial use of royal prerogative powers to declare war and sign international treaties without the approval of MPs.
The man who last week pitched his claim to be Tony Blair's natural heir yesterday invoked Disraeli as he declared himself "a Conservative to preserve all that is good" and "a radical to remove all that is bad" in the British constitution.
In his latest repositioning of the Tories, Mr Cameron said the recovery of trust in politics required the restoration of parliamentary authority.
He vowed that if elected he would lead the country "as a democratically accountable prime minister" who would "abandon the personal, presidential style that has taken hold under New Labour." Mr Cameron said key areas of investigation for his "democracy task force," which is headed by former chancellor Ken Clarke, would include strengthening parliament, ensuring the integrity and independence of the civil service, improving the workings of government and addressing alienation from the political process.
Confirming that he had specifically asked the task force to consider the use by ministers of the power of the royal prerogative, Mr Cameron said that giving parliament a greater role in the exercise of these powers "would be an important and tangible way of making government more accountable".
The royal prerogatives are a series of powers officially held by the queen that in effect allow ministers to make a variety of key decisions, including committing troops to overseas operations, without consulting parliament.
The task force would consider an enhanced parliamentary role in respect of committing troops and declaring war, making and ratifying international treaties, scrutinising and approving major public appointments (including oversight of the honours system), and approving major changes to the structure and organisation of government.
The task force would also consider changes to the process for recalling parliament, a prerogative power which nominally rests with the House of Commons speaker, but which can be exercised only on the initiative of ministers.
However, Mr Cameron also moved to reassure traditionalists on the Tory right by declaring himself "a staunch supporter" of Britain's constitutional monarchy. He made it clear that the task force would not be considering the "personal prerogative powers of the monarch", such as appointing a prime minister and dissolving parliament.
The sensitivity was evident yesterday as Conservative sources denied Mr Cameron's speech put him in the unlikely company of figures on the left such as Tony Benn and Clare Short, who have campaigned for the royal prerogative powers to be handed over to MPs.
Since his election last December, Mr Cameron has launched policy groups on economic competitiveness, social justice, the environment and quality of life, improvement of public services, national and international security, and globalisation and global poverty.
In addition, he has outraged right-wingers such as Ann Widdecombe with his proposal for an "A-list" of approved candidates for key target seats to increase the number of women and ethnic minority MPs.