Labour to move draft bill for a Senate!
What is it with Labour? They’ve had thirteen years in which to reform the House of Lords. Robin Cook slaved away for years to try to achieve it, against a disinterested Tony Blair. Now, with just a few weeks to go before they are slaughtered at the polls, they suddenly come up with a plan for the reform they should have implemented thirteen years ago! It is utterly exasperating.
Oh well, better late than never.
The government’s reform blueprint would have all members directly elected, ending the tradition of party patronage. A proportional representation system would be used to select members, with voting taking place at the same time as general elections.
One-third of the new chamber would be elected on each occasion, with members serving three terms — 15 years — in a system similar to the one used to select members of the United States Senate.
The new “peers” could also be subject to a US-style “recall ballot” that would disqualify them for incompetence.
In the event of death, members would be replaced without the need for by-elections under a best-loser system.
The legislators would be paid a salary, but probably less than the £65,000 now paid to backbench MPs.
15 years as a term of office is far too long – it ought to be five or six. And really, fixed term parliaments ought to be introduced at the same time, otherwise you will have the Senators’ terms of office jerked all over the place by the whims of the Prime Minister visa vis the Commons.
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