The Great and The Good
Ever since the Labour (or should I say “New Labour”yawn) government came to power in 1997 they have been banging on about “Lords reform”. To be fair it is one of the few manifesto promises that they have actually kept. So today we do not see the upper chamber packed to the rafters with the priviledged classes who have acheived nothing but instead inherited their position. I believe that only 97 “hereditaries”remain in the house. Instead we have a chamber of the great and the good - achievers - people who have got there because they have excelled in their field.
Obviously there are exceptions - ref Lord Martin - the disgraced former speaker of the house, who inexplicably was elevated to the peerage as some sort of reward for overseeing and then defending the disgusting expenses fiasco or Lord Mandleson - put there soley because our Prime Minister was unable to do his job without the aid of a spin doctor in the cabinet (clearly no right thinking voter would have elected him!).
Now the proposal is to make the upper house democratic by having an elected house (bye bye Mandy!). What astounds the writer is why on earth do the politicians think that we need more of them?!!! For that is what the red seats will be full of - more career politicians who are trying to improve their own lot rather than that of the country.
I put it to you that the system which should be adopted is one of appointment. A body of people should be responsible for chosing those that will keep the Commons in order - for that is the prime responsibility of the Lords. Let me stress this body of people should not be party political! Those that are appointed should have demonstrated that they have made a major contribution to their field - so there is no objection to some politicians being in there but it should not be as a reward purely for long service in the lower house (bye bye Martin!).
Leading Doctors, Nurses, independent financial advisers, businessmen (and women) - managers and entrepreneurs - dare I say lawyers (just a few mind!), sportsmen, engineers and academics etc.
If it doesn’t go this way we will end up with the sort of people that sit in the lower house - just there to tow the party line - NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
All those in favour say “Aye”……
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