The best way to reform Parliament would be to cram as many Lib Dem MPs, MEPs and councillors as we possibly can into the House of Lords, then blow it to kingdom come.
Nicky Clegg seems to think tinkering with the House of Lords is crucial for our democracy, after all we can't possibly have unelected people involved in law making can we? No, that won't do will it? If you elect people they all behave impeccably don't they? Acting in our best interests, never getting anything wrong and never fiddling their expenses. Don't they?
Just look at our glorious elected leaders. We had Blair and Brown. We now have Cameron, Osborne and Clegg. Paragons of virtue?
So Clegg, and this bastard government, wants to have most of the House of Lords elected and to bung them £300 a day for turning up when elected. Oh yes, and they'll be elected for fifteen years! That's not another gravy train for politicians is it?And let's face it the Lib Dems love a gravy train more than most.
Personally I like the idea of the House of Lords being made up of people who are there on merit. In fact isn't 'meritocracy' the other big word in your average Lib Dem's vocab? I don't see electing idiots, with no qualfications for the job, particularly meritocratic. Especially when they will all have political axes to grind.
Furthermore, the House of Commons is s4/ubservient to the House of Commons, it is a scrutinising chamber. Who will be first 'Peer', elected for fifteen years, to shout to an MP: "You were only elected for five years, people think I'm bettter than you"? Bingo, constitutional crisis.
Maybe if some of the criteria for standing in a House of Lords election were practical things, such as the person can prove they have never been a member of a political party and have never before held elected office, I might see some point. But while it is obviously just another gravy train for politicos stuff it.
3 comments:
Nicely done Gregg.
A consolation prize for Commons failures hardly holds much appeal, does it?
God bless the party list system eh?
Do you know Daz, I thought last night that if Clegg's definition of democracy is elected, but he accepts a partially elected House of Lords, then what about the monarchy? Maybe he should advocate the election of the spouse of any future monarchs, that'd be fun wouldn't it?!! We could elect a right fat, ugly, minger off the roughest council estate in Liverpool.
Democracy in itself is not necessarily a good thing and if applied in absolute terms can quickly become the enabler of mob rule.
What the second chamber needs is some real world expertise to act as a counterweight tho those chasing populism and cheap votes.
For some reason I read your description of 'the first lady' and an image of Cilla Black came into my head. Thanks for that!!
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