A new Magna Carta ?

On the way from a client meeting at Euston via Costa in waterstones in Gower Street, I was unaware quite how much of this bit of London is given over to UCL.

A very interesting debate at Conway hall about the codification of a British constitution with graham Allen MP and Bob Morris. Lots of interesting stuff. A good point about how odd our current system is was made by Allen is what it sounds like once you try and write it down. So the most powerful position is the prime minister he's not elected by the people, but by the ruling party (like Hong Kong/China) his powers are not written down anywhere. We have an upper chamber of bishops, descendants of people who once did the king a favour and ex members of the ruling class and the head of state is not elected. Not where you would start from if you were writing a constitution.

Best quote of the night was that (and I probably misquote) that Britain is a republic masquerading as a monarchy (as the monarch has no power) and France is a monarchy masquerading as a republic (as the president has too much power and no term limit)

We were slightly baffled by the calls from the floor for gender neutrality rather than gender inclusiveness and politely ignored another's passionate calls for a revolution.

An enlightening evening.