A key area of the government's constitutional reform is the Scottish and Welsh devolution. The Conservative manifesto is committed to implementing the the recommendations of the Smith Commission to devolve further fiscal and welfare powers to Scotland, which the House of Lords and and th House of Commons strongly criticise. The Coalition government announced devolution of income tax powers to Wales, using a referendum. However the offer was denounced by the Welsh First Minister Carwynm who condemned the proposals as lacking fair funding, pressing an unnecessary referendum and failing to match Scotland in powers offered . The Conservatives are committed to legislation on further Welsh devolution. In Northern Ireland, meanwhile, the Corporation Tax Act 2015 has given power to the Northern Ireland executive and Assembly to vary the rate of corporation tax from 2017 and the SNP have been quick to demand the powers.
Another key area of the government's constitutional reform is the English Votes on English Laws. This is where the Conservative manifesto made no fewer than four separate commitments to introduce English Votes on English Laws, since 2001, which the Liberal Democrats in the Coalition government resisted. The Conservative government's White Paper on The Implications of Devolution for England set out 3 options for implementation from the Conservatives. The English Votes on English Laws could prove that there are divisions within the Conservative Party as they could not agree before the election on which model of English Votes on English Laws to support.
The issue of the UK's relationship with the EU is another key area of the government's constitutional reform. The Conservatives have promised an in/out referendum by 2017 on the EU. However, Cameron's narrow majority means that his Eurosceptic backbenchers are in a strong position to hold him to his promise. Therefore the government will not be able to prevent Eurosceptic MPs campaigning to leave the EU.
Human rights is the government's key area of constitutional reform where the Conservatives have committed to repeal the Human Rights Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights, which is likely to face difficulties with the devolved governments, who want to stay in the ECHR and the jurisdiction of the Strasbourg Court. The House of Lords will resist this proposal because of the presence of senior lawyers on the Crossbenchers and the implacable opposition of both Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
Another key area of the government's constitutional reform is the electoral reform. The Conservative Party opposed the Alternative Vote and Proportional Representation vote and their manifesto promised to 'keep FPTP.' This will be strengthene following an election that gave them 51% of the seats on 37% of the votes. They also pledge to change electoral boundaries and reduce the number of MPs, which will attract resistance from the House of Lords, Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
The House of Lords Reform is another key area of the Conservative government's constitutional reform. Before, the Coalition government were committed to a largely or entirely elected second chamber. However many Conservative MPs had fears that such a chamber may become a rival to the Commons. Therefore the progress on developing a Lord reform bill was withdrawn. Despite this the current Conservative manifesto stating that House of Lords reform 'is not a priority in the next Parliament', it also commits the party to 'addressing issues such as the size of the chamber and the retirement of peers.'
