Mary Reid

It's not often that the news headlines are dominated by positive suggestions for improving democracy in our country. But today Nick Clegg has quite rightly been lauded for his radical proposals.

(Update: The Take Back Power website has now been launched. This lists all Nick Clegg's proposals in full.)

100 days - 14 weeks - to sort out the mess at Westminster. If it means that MPs will have to postpone their summer break, then it will simply demonstrate their commitment to reform, which all are mouthing at present.

So what is Clegg proposing?

Day 1

Accept the findings of the review into MPs expenses

Weeks 1 and 2

New bill to allow for the recall of MPs, so that constituents can petition for a by-election if their MP has cheated on expenses

£50,000 cap on individual donations to political parties

Week 3

Bill on fixed term Parliaments, so that from 2010 we would have a General Election every four years

Week 4

All party talks on reforming the way Parliament works - more scrutiny and more control over the agenda by all MPs.

Week 5

Bill to hold a referendum on electoral reform (as I've argued here)

Weeks 6 and 7

Bill on reform of the House of Lords, replacing it with a fully elected senate.

Week 10

Votes to be held on suspension of MPs who have cheated on expenses

Week 11

Petitions can begin in constituencies to recall MPs

Day 100

Referendum on takes place on electoral reform

Phew!

Clegg writes:

Together, over the next 100 days, we could achieve nothing less than the total reinvention of British politics. These months could become a great moment in British political history, rather than a shabby footnote to a shameful month of scandal. Let us seize, not squander, the opportunity for change.