Member

The assembly is intended to be democratic both in its constitution and in its conduct. We have a democracy that has a super majority required on its key, indeed sole, decision-making power; the assembly has no executive functions and no decision-making power. All executive functions in the London government structure are carried out by the mayor. This is the sole decision, therefore, that the assembly has to make in the course of a year, and it is shackled by requiring a two-thirds majority. The noble Lord, Lord Harris of Haringey, expressed some sympathy with this amendment—but he, being a wise old figure, saw long grass looming close by, into which one could be cast by way of a review. No: there are many of us who say “Democracy, now”, and there is no answer to the demand for democracy now.