It's a long word, but what Does Bottler not understand about accountability?

The draft Queen's speech, delivered early - well there is an important by-election coming, seemed to press buttons which some like me welcome.

There was talk of proposals coming which will give local people more control over policing priorities and responsiveness. We wait keenly. Does this mean that we shall get to elect the police chief, and turf him or her out if performance is poor, or does it mean that police will come under some sort of local control- with representatives from all councils in a wide area having members, or does it mean merely enlarging the police authorities, already stuffed with people we do not know? If it is anything other than the first, directly elected police chiefs, it really it not worth much and the current apathy about voting will continue.

There was also talk of making the legal system accountable. Reading on, however, it seems that we are to have yet another quango, The Sentencing Commission, which will "enable better alignment of the demands and resources for correctional services." The remit sounds frightening, in reinforcing the suspicion we have already that sentences will not be decided by the nature and circumstances of the crime alone but also by availability of prison places. Does it make you feel any safer?

The new Commission will consist mostly of judges appointed by another quango, the Judicial Appointments Commission, making accountability still further blurred, and removing political power and therefore accountability.

Some, like myself, were anxious originally about powerful directly elected mayors, still more when Ken Leavingsoon was up for his third term, but electors have now removed him. If the principle was extended to all urban areas and unitary authorities, we could see directly elected mayors making welcome changes in many places. But can you see a centraliser like Brown allowing all these mayors to have the freedom and power that Boris has? This would so reduce the power of Brown and his acolytes that they would pay only lip-service to the idea of decentralising power.

If they are unlikely to make any worthwhile transfer of power to mayors, will they do it for police chiefs?