By Tim Levell, editor of the evening and overnight programmes on 5 live
Four hundred and nine years ago a plot to blow up Parliament, kill James I and overturn the existing political regime was thwarted in the early hours of the morning of 5 November.
A search party found Guy Fawkes hiding in an undercroft beneath the House of Lords, together with a number of barrels of gunpowder and several slow matches. One of the biggest threats to British democracy in the nation’s history had been averted.
In 2014, after Scotland rejected independence, the Prime Minister David Cameron stood outside Downing Street to propose some of the biggest changes to the UK constitution for decades. He talked about a “new and fair” constitutional settlement for the whole of the United Kingdom – partly in response to the idea of “English votes for English laws”.
Speaking to 5 live on 31 October, the Labour leader Ed Miliband agreed that the the issues thrown up by devolution needed to be looked at. “I want a proper constitutional convention which brings people together… to say, let’s be governed in the right way.”
So change is coming. But what could it look like?
On Phil Williams’ programme from 10.30pm on BBC Radio 5 live on Wednesday 5 November, we will look at three of the possible solutions and explore the issues, hurdles and benefits surrounding them.
We’ve asked three people to summarise each of the proposals in 40 seconds or less. In the clip that follows you’ll hear Sir Oliver Heald MP on English votes for English laws, Eddie Bone on a separate English parliament, and Ed Cox on more regional powers.
What do you think are the merits of each one? What problems do you think they throw up? Crucially, which would you prefer – or have you got a different option? Listen to each of them and post your comment below. We’ll include some in the programme on Wednesday evening.
Join the debate on Phil Williams’ programme from 10.30pm by calling 0500 909693, texting 85058 or tweeting @bbc5live.
