Government washing hands of responsibility?

According to a report in The Guardian today, the Head of the Civil Service has ordered an inquiry into the government's localism reforms amid growing concerns that its "big society" plans risk eroding the basic democratic principles of transparency and ministerial accountability.

About time too. Shifting responsibility from Whitehall to local councils, GP's and voluntary groups all seems designed to ensure that Ministers cannot be held to account. Added to their plan for reducing the number of MPs to increase their parliamentary majority, the government must be hoping for an extended period of power without responsibility.