Tory drive to win back public's faith in politics

The Tory leader will back radical proposals drawn up over 18 months by former Cabinet minister Ken Clarke.

Mr Clarke has concluded that under Tony Blair's leadership Parliament has been reduced to little more than a 'poodle' while Cabinet government has been 'all but destroyed'.

He will propose a cut in the number of MPs, a legal right for the Cabinet to be consulted on all major policy decisions and a cap on the number of political 'special advisers', say well-placed sources.

Other expected moves include a new Civil Service Act to protect officials from political interference, a stronger code governing behaviour of ministers and a requirement for Parliamentary approval for decisions to go to war.

A new Parliamentary committee will also scrutinise all Government legislation for its necessity and coherence - a move designed to guard against 'law-making by headline'.

The rights of Scottish MPs to force through legislation that does not apply in their own constituencies now Scotland has its own Parliament will also be curtailed.

A 'grand committee' of English MPs could meet at Westminster to decide on legislation affecting only English constituencies.

The Office for National Statistics will be made fully independent and a new code of conduct will govern all government publications and advertising in an attempt to limit 'spin'.

Senior Tories believe the measures will trump Gordon Brown's pledge to strengthen Parliament when he takes up residence in Number 10.

The publication of the findings of Mr Clarke's democracy 'task force' is also designed to launch a new phase of Mr Cameron's leadership.

Over the next three months, the party will roll out the recommendations of six more policy groups who have been working behind closed doors for a year and a half.

Mr Clarke's has been chosen to kick-start the process because of Mr Brown's focus on the need for constitutional reform.

Former Cabinet Secretary Lord Butler - who worked closely with Mr Blair when Labour swept to power in 1997 but last week attacked his informal style of 'sofa' government - is a member of the policy group.

It has concluded there is a dangerous sense of 'malaise and discontent' about British government and democracy, reflected in widespread public cynicism and a fall in voter turnout.

Mr Blair's 'hyperactive Presidential-style leadership' is at least partly to blame, the group argues.

Ministers have been reduced to being agents of the Premier's demand for 'eye-catching initiatives'.

Party chiefs had planned to release the findings of the commissions selectively in response to initiatives by Mr Brown once he takes up office.

But while not all will be adopted as party policy at the next election, they have been so impressed by the quality of the work that they have decided to let the reports 'speak for themselves'.

A Conservative source said: "What we will see over the coming weeks and months is a complete demolition of the claims from Labour and others that there is no substance to David Cameron and the Conservatives.

"Eighteen months of work has resulted in a real revolution in Tory thinking - a genuine radical ideas blitz.

"This is in stark contrast to Gordon Brown, Prime Minister non-elect, who is radical only in his capacity to disappear while genuinely creating a gaping void in new thinking."