Three depressing news stories this week

Prison Spaces

"Justice" Minister Jack Straw announces that judges are to jail fewer convicts because prisons are too full. I'm not sure what is more depressing, record amounts of prisoners, or not enough space to hold them.

The good news is that record prisoner levels means we're catching more criminals. The bad news is that after 10 continuous years of economic growth, where overall crime is falling nationwide, record levels of people are committing custodial offences. This, sadly, says something about our 21st century society.

As for prison space - how is it that the most bureaucratic, statistical and target setting obsessed party in Britain managed to bodge this up so badly? Aren't socialists supposed to be expert planners?

US Arrogance

The UK/US "special relationship" seems to have had the extraordinary effect of making us an international joke this week.

Despite telling us differently, the US has been using UK territory to transport terrorist suspects for a roughing up in some God-forbidden hell hole.

Severely embarrassing for the government, which seems to have been caught with its pants down. Miliband seems to have handled it well so far, going into "full apology mode" at Parliament and convincing the Tories he only knew when Condoleezza admitted to him the "administrative error" this week.

This raises some pretty serious questions over why we're being taken for granted by our greatest ally. Perhaps this relationship has turned sour? Time for further integration in the EU Mr Brown!

Police fail to protect couple on the run

The Nottinghamshire Police's complete failure to protect a hunted couple. This is the most distressing piece of news. The IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) reported that a couple on the run from a gang who wanted to kill them were offered full police protection provided that the mother give evidence against her son. She declined and they attempted to hide on their own.

Worse still was the police response when the mother called in about a prowler, only to have to wait 10 hours for an officer (who was told it was "nothing urgent") to turn up and discover their bullet ridden bodies.

The worst was the police telling us that if they had acted quicker they doubt they would have been able to protect the couple anyway. This is a classic example of our State's inability to fulfil its highest duty - the protection of its citizens from harm.

Surely it's wrong to only offer conditional police protection? Surely it was the duty of the police to insist on some form of protection for this couple? It sounds as if the couple really didn't realise how much danger they were in - and nor did the police! But even if they did, would the police spend the time convincing the couple take it more seriously?

Analysis

It seems to me that the government is losing its authority on the world stage and its ability to function for the rapidly changing needs of the people who elect it into power. As Blair would often say in his final years - it's delivering the change that's the hardest part.

I suspect that part of the problem is the electoral system itself. MPs in marginal seats and parliamentary candidates in target seats are required to be hardwired into a campaigning reflex to address problems and issues. This can lead to a large and powerful group of MPs who know no other than "government by press release", who govern by tomorrow's headlines and short term gains. Perhaps why we got into the mess with prison spaces.

However, I think that most of the problem lies in the institutions themselves. Designed in the 19th century, renewed mid 20th century, but unable to adapt to free flowing change and the increasing demands of a stressed population in the 21st century.

I think Clegg is right - we need a limited, pluralistic and decentralised structure of government. Further integration into the EU to challenge world dominance of the US, proportional representation to create pluralistic governance in partnership, a bill of rights and a written constitution to protect citizens and structures from tomorrows headlines, and finally, radical localism and decentralisation to limit and rebuild our power structures - enabling all communities to take a functioning part in the change they want.

This is the change we need to make Britain not just a functioning society again, but a world leader in progressive advancement.