- New Brooms
- 12 September 2018
- Democracy , Labour party
11 Labour MPs elected in 2017 have come together to propose a series of measures to reform parliament. New Brooms, edited by James Frith MP and published by the Fabian Society, puts the experiences and insights of these new MPs at the heart of the debate.
Among the proposals are:
- Ellie Reeves proposes changes to the amount of time MPs spend on votes.
- James Frith suggests proxy voting for parents with newborn babies.
- Preet Kaur Gill proposes introducing job descriptions for MPs.
- Laura Pidcock proposes introducing an electronic system to register requests to speak in parliament.
- Darren Jones argues Prime Minister’s Questions should be restricted to just the leaders of the political parties and a few questions from MPs.
- Alex Norris suggests alternatives to exclusively Anglican prayers at the start of the parliamentary day – for example a reflection led by different MPs in turn.
As well as James Frith, the report’s authors include Preet Kaur Gill, Darren Jones, Sarah Jones, Anna McMorrin, Alex Norris, Laura Pidcock, Luke Pollard, Ellie Reeves, Danielle Rowley, and Alex Sobel.
How to purchase
Copies are available, priced £9.95, from the Fabian Society. Call 020 7227 4900, email or send a cheque payable to The Fabian Society to 61 Petty France, London, SW1H 9EU.
Power to the people
11 October 2018
LAURA PIDCOCK: Simplifying processes and stripping away some of the pomp and ceremony could make a big difference to the way parliamentary business is done. But it is even more important to focus on the systemic change.
Continue reading Democracy / Elections / Labour party
Under Scrutiny
18 September 2018
ALEX SOBEL: Bad laws undermine faith in our politics. A new approach to scrutiny, with a chance for the public to contribute to law-making and more opportunity to work through legislation before it makes it onto the statute book, could revitalise the democratic process.
Continue reading Democracy
Sweating the assets
14 September 2018
LUKE POLLARD: Parliament needs to function like any other workplace in Britain. Its move to a new home offers a chance for a new culture and new more efficient working practices.
Continue reading Democracy / Elections
12 first-term MPs propose radical steps to reform parliament
12 September 2018
12 Labour MPs elected in 2017 launch a new Fabian pamphlet which proposes a series of measures to reform parliament.
Continue reading Democracy / Labour party
A question of style
12 September 2018
ALEX NORRIS: The customs and traditions of parliament may seem charming, but they serve to alienate many of those whom MPs aim to represent. Updating some of the practices of the place would bring the institution into the 21st century and better reflect the communities it serves.
Continue reading Democracy / Elections
New Brooms
12 September 2018
11 Labour MPs elected in 2017 have come together to propose a series of measures to reform parliament. New Brooms, edited by James Frith MP and published by the Fabian Society, puts the experiences and insights of these new MPs at the heart of the debate.
Continue reading Democracy / Elections
Our publications
View All
Nye's lost legacy
Against the backdrop of Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent investigation into healthy and inclusive work, Sasjkia Otto sets out an ambitious vision for a universal and integrated occupational health system, matched by rights and responsibilities. In ...
Read more
Pressing issues
In this pamphlet, journalists and experts set out the problems that characterise the media landscape, propose a range of changes to improve standards, and set out how the government can uphold the rights of journalists both at home and around the wor...
Read more
Caring for Carers
Fabian Society researcher Eloise Sacares and general secretary Andrew Harrop present a series of policy options for the employment and financial protections of unpaid carers.
Read more
Ill-prepared
In this report, Eloise Sacares and Luke Raikes make the case for sick pay for the self-employed, review support in the UK and other countries, and set out recommendations for the government to consider.
Read more
Levying up
The Labour government has committed to reforming the apprenticeship levy into a ‘growth and skills levy’, giving employers more flexibility. In this report, general secretary Joe Dromey and senior researcher Sasjkia Otto set out a series of recommend...
Read more
Repair, reuse, recycle
This policy briefing sets out how government policy can upscale the circular economy. It first sets out the key features of the circular economy in England, before identifying practical steps to reduce unnecessary waste and upscale the circular econo...
Read more
Climbing the Mountain
This report identifies 150 non-Labour seats on the new boundaries which will likely make up a very high proportion of the constituencies that Labour will target at the next election.
Read more
Equal Footing
Anneliese Dodds MP explains how Labour's ambitious agenda to tackle inequality will benefit us all.
Read more
Whatever the Weather
Fabian Society researcher Eloise Sacares makes the case for climate adaptation, identifying three key areas of life which will be severely impacted by climate change and in which practical changes in government policy could make a significant differe...
Read more
The Final Furlong
In spite of Labour's extremely strong polling numbers over the past year, there has been continuing media speculation about a hung parliament. The Fabian Society undertook research during summer 2023 to understand voters’ preferred election outcomes...
Read more
By the People, With the People
In this pamphlet, Charlotte Augst and Paul Corrigan set out to identify the factors that have scuppered progress on health system reform, and refine the calls for change into two simple questions. First, how can the NHS work with people to keep them ...
Read more
In Tandem
Michael Jacobs, Robert Calvert Jump, Jo Michell and Frank van Lerven scrutinise the lack of cooperation between the UK government and the Bank of England, and propose a new Economic Policy Coordinating Committee to help achieve the multiple objective...
Read more
Working Nein to Five
Fabian Society senior researcher Sasjkia Otto asks what we can learn from Germany about work-life balance.
Read more
Equality and empowerment
Fabian Society research director Luke Raikes sets out to make a progressive case for devolving public spending, raising important questions about how public money can be used more effectively to deliver policy objectives.
Read more
Plans for Power
This pamphlet is a compilation of some of the most important ideas developed and championed by the Fabian Society in recent years. It is a ‘mixtape’ of the best proposals, from early years to pensions and from the future of work to public service ref...
Read moreFabian membership
Join the Fabian Society today and help shape the future of the left
You’ll receive the quarterly Fabian Review and at least four reports or pamphlets each year sent to your door
Be a part of the debate at Fabian conferences and events and join one of our network of local Fabian societies
Join the Fabian SocietyBe the first to know
Sign up to the free Fabian Society newsletter
Find out about the latest Fabian Society research, publications and events with our regular updates
Sign up today