We will establish five-year fixed term Parliaments. We will put a binding motion before the House
of Commons stating that the next general election will be held on the first Thursday of May, 2015.
Following this motion, we will legislate to make provision for fixed term Parliaments of five years.
We will bring forward a Referendum Bill on electoral reform, which includes provision for the
introduction of the Alternative Vote in the event of a positive result in the referendum, as well as for
the creation of fewer and more equal sized constituencies.
We will bring forward early legislation to introduce a power of recall, allowing voters to force a
by-election where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing.
We will establish a committee to bring forward proposals for a wholly or mainly elected upper
chamber on the basis of proportional representation.
We will bring forward proposals… for reform to the House of Commons… starting with the proposed
committee for management of backbench business. A House Business Committee, to consider
government business, will be established by the third year of the Parliament.
We will ensure that any petition that secures 100,000 signatures will be eligible for public debate in
Parliament.
Source: ‘
The Coalition: our programme for government’, Cabinet Office, May 2010
Parliamentary reform
Study the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Extracts from the document: ‘
