Fixed Terms Parliaments Bill

The Constitution Committee in the Lords has published its report on the bill - it is available in full here.

It has - in the polite language of the Lords - a pretty damning conclusion

We take the view that the origins and content of this Bill owe more to short term considerations than to a mature assessment of enduring constitutional principles or sustained public demand. We acknowledge the political imperative behind the coalition Government’s wish to state in advance its intent to govern for the full five year term, but this could have been achieved under the current constitutional conventions.