Why did the post-1997 Labour Government institute a programme of constitutional reform?

The absence of any codified constitution within the United Kingdom has led to the development of an unwritten constitution that is derived from common law, statute law, convention and tradition. Described by Burke as checkered and speckled.crossly indented and whimsically dovetailed.such a piece of diversified mosaic , it contrasts greatly to the entrenched, written constitution of the United States of America, where the relationship between the government and the citizen is closely regulated and legislated. The fusion of powers within the unitary state of the UK has led to a focus on the sovereignty of Parliament. Whereas in the USA, the government is only able to make amendments to the original constitution, British Parliament is not obligated to adhere to any law passed by a previous government. Hence, the lack of entrenchment, the unwritten, often ambiguous, nature of the…(short extract)