Gordon Brown showing the way

[Griff]

So now I propose that in twelve areas important to our national life, the Prime Minister and executive should surrender or limit their powers - the exclusive exercise of which by the Government should have no place in a modern democracy.

These are:

the power of the executive to declare war;the power to request the dissolution of Parliament;
the power over recall of Parliament;
the power of the executive to ratify international treaties without decision by Parliament;
the power to make key public appointments without effective scrutiny;
the power to restrict Parliamentary oversight of the intelligence services;
power to choose bishops;
power in the appointment of judges;
power to direct prosecutors in individual criminal cases;
power over the civil service itself;
and the executive powers to determine the rules governing entitlement to passports and the granting of pardons.
We could use such restraints ourselves. Good luck Mr. Brown.