British House Of Lords Defunct
Posted on 17 March 2010 by LynThomas in Uncategorized
It was leaked to The Sunday Telegraph that there are plans to abolish the 704 member House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers for ceremonial purposes, by an Act of Parliament. The second (upper) house would be reduced and replaced with 300 wholly-elected members, replaced by one third, at the same time as the general elections. Elected members would be able to serve three terms, which is up to 15 years and will be paid less than a back-bench Member of Parliament.
Under the Government’s proposals, members of the new second chamber would be subject to a US-style ‘recall ballot’ which would disqualify them for incompetence. The plans would see all members directly elected, ending the traditionally held party patronage. This would also stop people from outside politics becoming ministers after being appointed a peerage.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said Justice Secretary Jack Straw will set out proposals ‘very shortly’.
The name ‘House of Lords’ has been used since the 14th century, with several hundred members inheriting their seats. The 1999 House of Lords Act, removed this right and decreased the membership of the House from 1,330 to 669, but is currently standing at 704. The House of Lords had more members than the 646-seat House of Commons. It was not until the reforms of the Parliament Act of 1911 tha the power of the House of Lords started to be curtailed.
The House of Lords scrutinized and revised government legislation and is seen by the general public as an undemocratic house, being a place for the aristocrats and political appointees. The remainder of the 740 seats were appointed for life.
The proposed legislation will replace hereditaries through by-elections, removing them by steady reduction, rather than removing them outright. It is favoured that the new house will be known as The Senate.
This news comes hard on the heels of the court appearance of Lord Hanningfield, the Conservative peer. Three Labour MPs were also charged with theft through false accounting.
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