An important article on the transfer of lawmaking powers from Parliament to ministers and special advisers: including the ability to amend primary legislation, change taxes & create new criminal offences. Britain is fast moving from a parliamentary to an executive democracy. 1/4
2. The article draws on a report by the House of Lords Constitution Committee, which warned that "skeleton bills" were vesting ministers with powers of "breathtaking scope". It was "difficult to envisage any circumstances in which their use is acceptable". publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldse… 
3. The Report accused the government of "seeking powers for convenience rather than necessity". Brexit legislation had granted ministers “overly-broad powers to do whatever they think is ‘appropriate’", giving them “far greater latitude than is constitutionally acceptable”.
4. Conservatives should ask themselves how happy they would be to see these powers in the hands of a future Labour government, that was equally averse to parliamentary scrutiny. Checks on government can be frustrating, but they exist for a reason. We dismantle them at our peril.
