Sadly the Greens also nominated Peers to the Lords as did the yellow Tory Lib Dems. If the government truly wanted to signal its recognition for the spirit of Brexit it wouldn’t have stuffed the Lords with more people – it would have given the people a referendum on the future of the Lords. It is not remotely coincidental that the Lords sought to frustrate the revolutionary will of the 1640s and the Brexit revolution of the 2010s. This is an archaic institution which is accountable to no one and yet wields huge influence over how our laws are made. Here's what we should do with the toppled statues. Even with good people in it, the second chamber plays a singularly destructive role in British politics. The truth is anyone who accepts a British Empire Honour or Peerage demeans their life and achievements. It’s nice that they have come around to the argument spiked has been making for the 20 years of our existence: that the House of Lords is an insult to democracy and should be abolished. The House of Lords could be something great if governments weren't too afraid or selfish to change it for the better. It is at this point that prime ministers are tempted to reward rather than ask what contribution a person under consideration can make. Lord Steel will tell a lecture to the Scottish Liberal Club on Tuesday evening that peerages should be scrapped to make way for federalism in the UK. The unelected House of Lords – with around 800 members – is about to get even bigger. MPs who were defeated or resigned in 2019, as well as big party donors and allies, look set to be handed votes on our laws for life. Summary of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL] 2019-21 A Bill to amend the House of Lords Act 1999 so as to abolish the system of by-elections for hereditary peers Stay up to date. There is now a very serious risk that Brexit will become a museum piece, institutionalised (and possibly neutered) in the Lords rather than enacted in the concrete world of people’s lives and people’s power. In our view, nobody should be given a seat in the House of Lords. The data shows the number of people who have signed the petition by country as well as in the constituency of each … What the Petitions Committee is doing Petition Abolish the House of Lords To close down the House of Lords - it has no part in a democracy. They’re only reaching for the smelling salts now because ‘dreadful’ people like Hoey, Stuart and Fox have been granted entry. They are unelected and yet have the power to obstruct approved legislations. They are paid for life by the taxpayer for just turning up. Unelected Lords should not have the power to hold the British Government to ransom. Brendan O’Neill is editor of spiked and host of the spiked podcast, The Brendan O’Neill Show. The whole system is fundamentally flawed. It is not enough just to propose more powers for the Commons in a unicameral system – this would do little to improve levels of scrutiny when a government is returned with a big majority. The House of Lords must be reformed and ultimately abolished. The people of Stoke-on-Trent and Merthyr Tydfil and Essex did not vote for Brexit, and stick with it during the deranged meltdown of the Remainer establishment, in order to witness the ennoblement of people who share their views on the European Union. The commission's recommendations were rejected by a vote in the House of Lords. The House of Lords needs reforming, but abolishing it is not the answer. Critics of the second chamber argue that it is time to abolish the House of Lords, calling it "broken, morally corrupt, and anti-democratic". The outdated House of Lords is unelected so should have no rights to stop what an elected government has been mandated to do. More details Abolish the unelected House of Lords which costs hard working tax payers too much money. It is not! It has over 800 peers - 484 of whom attended the Lords each day in … The only one larger than the 792-strong House of Lords is the 2,980-member Chinese National People’s Congress. But all this has now changed, for clichés are weak. Former Liberal leader David Steel calls for House of Lords to be abolished The House of Lords must be replaced to enable federalism across the … The Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey has said she wants to abolish the House of Lords and would not stand in the way of another Scottish independence referendum. Not Remainers, not Brexiteers, not sinners, not saints, not anybody. Abolish the unelected House of Lords which costs hard working tax payers too much money. | Simon Jenkins, ‘The resignation honours list beckons – it is at this point prime ministers are tempted to reward rather than ask what contribution a person can make.’. The Brexit spirit can no more be embodied in the Lords than a camel can go through the eye of a needle. Over half the time in the Lords is devoted to examining in detail legislation sent to it by the Commons. More than 150 years ago, the constitutional writer Walter Bagehot suggested that “the cure for admiring the House of Lords was to go and look at it”. This article is more than 1 year old. Willie Sullivan started this petition to Boris Johnson (Prime Minister) The unelected House of Lords – with around 800 members – is about to get even bigger. abolish the house of lords This week in the House of Commons I presented a Parliamentary Petition calling for the abolition of the House of Lords. The House of Lords is a private members club for an unelected few. Since the passing of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, the House of Lords has lost its absolute veto on primary legislation. It proves Boris takes Brexit seriously, apparently. 4,810 signatures. Just like the monarchy and private schools, it is symptomatic of a society which pays lip service to democracy and meritocracy but so often falls short of achieving it in reality. ‘We also want to abolish the House of Lords. Not reformed, not trimmed (even if 800+ peers is ridiculous), and not ‘made more democratic’ – you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear. There are over 800 members of the upper house. The House of Lords should be replaced with a Senate of … Abolish the House of Lords! They think of themselves as liberal and progressive. But turkeys don’t vote for Christmas, and the Lords then rejected this proposal. The rules clearly prohibit peers acting as paid lobbyists and also require public disclosure of sources of income. The same could be said of the House Of Lords. That’s it, the Remainer elites cry: get rid of the Lords! They are anti-democratic hypocrites. Both Conservative and Labour governments have confirmed that members should be allowed to take up part-time jobs, it would be extraordinary in a non-salaried House for it to be otherwise. House of Lords: "Congratulations to the Mirror" (Image: PA) #I applaud your petition to abolish the Lords. Following the creation of the first, far from democratic parliament in 1295, these monarchical consulters went on to form what would become the second chamber: the House of Lords to the House of Commons. The cost of the House of Lords has ballooned. The Honours system needs to be scrapped and the House of Lords abolished. In this way it serves as a useful check on the government by making them think again Powers of the upper chamber are … 187 talking about this. Some people are calling for reform of the House of Lords, but not Nigel Farage - he wants it abolished altogether. The House of Lords should be abolished after the UK leaves the EU, a conservative think tank has argued.. That vote, won by 337 votes to 224, is the only time the Commons has voted for a wholly-elected second chamber. Despite minor reform in the late 1990s, the future of the House of Lords remains ambiguous at best. The House of Lords should be reformed. It’s nice that they have come around to the argument spiked has been making for the 20 years of our existence: that the House of Lords is an insult to democracy and should be abolished. What about making good on ordinary people’s radical insistence on their right to influence public life? Plans to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a 300-strong, wholly elected second chamber are to be unveiled by ministers in a key political move ahead of the general election. Should it be left untouched, reformed, or ultimately abolished? The Guardian survey of participation underlines one further step that we should now consider. It didn’t do these things because it was inhabited by ‘bad’ people. The House of Lords is a relic that belongs to the museum. The House of Lords was abolished in 1649 but not for long "The House of Lords is useless and dangerous to the people of England." I do not. The Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 regulates the procedure for women bishops to enter the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual. And find Brendan on Instagram: @burntoakboy. Hand-wringing over the Lords has been a national pastime, long pre dating any recent controversies. Ironically, the present crisis is a consequence of a reform intended to modernise the House: the life peers, provided for by an Act of 1958. To date, May has appointed 42 new life peers but the resignation honours list beckons. The 'Rich' should not be allowed to dictate laws and legislation based on their financial worth or 'lineage' But of course, they have arrived at this position for entirely cynical, tangential and no doubt temporary reasons: because the Lords now contains people they despise. “The petitioners, therefore, request that the House of Commons urges the Government to abolish the House of Lords in the interests of democracy, accountability and transparency.” Liberal Democrat life peer Baroness Angela Harris of Richmond also said the Lords should be more inclusive and representative of the UK population. • Norman Fowler is Lord Speaker and was a cabinet minister with Margaret Thatcher for 11 years, Parliament’s second chamber is essential to scrutinise government – having fewer life peers is a start to improving it, Peer who never spoke in Lords last year claims £50,000 expenses, MPs plan to build themselves a palace. Last week’s colourful dissolution peerage list demonstrates again the necessity of that commitment. The Upper Chamber or House of Lords has long been past its sell-by-date, and since it is filled chiefly by those opposed to Brexit there is every likelihood that the government will fail to achieve their goal and the people will be denied their democratic decision to leave the EU. The House of Lords must be reformed and ultimately abolished. It is time to get rid of them. In a clash between unelected posh peers who love the EU and the largest democratic bloc in the history of this country who voted to leave the EU, Remoaners knew which side to take: the feudalistic machinations of the most undemocratic chamber in Europe over the democratic desires of the masses. Whether its members are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ people, principled or self-serving, on the side of Brexit or on the side of stopping Brexit, makes no difference. The House of Lords is a medieval relic from a time when land ownership was a major source of political power, and just as ownership of land moved from generation to generation so did the titles. People get there through political favours and patronage. What about the masses’ historic call for control and influence? Baron Home of the Hirsel occupies pride of place, the very last of Britain's hereditary peers to hold the post, even if he had to renounce his title, becoming plain Sir Alec Douglas-Home, to do so. These peers are our last hope to kill off the horrible thing that 17.4million racist dimwits voted for, they trilled. The house of Lords is an archaic establishment that hinders the elected governments ability to execute the wishes of the people and as such should be abolished. Proponents of abolition or complete reform also need to explain how the legislation necessary to radically change the Lords will get through parliament at a time when Brexit dominates the legislative agenda. The shadow business secretary, who is … Thank you! Undemocratic and Unaccountable “The House of Lords is an affront to democracy and accountability”. Just like the monarchy and private schools, it is symptomatic of a society which pays lip service to democracy and meritocracy but so often falls short of achieving it in reality. Those who argue for the abolition of the second chamber, as Owen Jones did last week, need to say how this work would be done. It has to go. ... Time to Abolish the House of Lords - Now! In most things, yes - although not in everything. T he House of Lords will be abolished if Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey ever becomes prime minister.. As this paper reported at the beginning of the year, I am opposed to what I called “passengers” in the Lords who make no or very little contribution. In the name of democracy, abolish the House of Lords The unelected House of Lords has continually faced controversy for their unaccountability and excessive power. Picking fights with everyone will come back to haunt Boris Johnson. Time to Abolish the House of Lords - Now! As the House of Commons became the prime chamber the powers of the Lords were eroded and life peerages broke the historical link with land ownership. The liberal elite in this country has no shame. 10,000 Date closed 10 September 2020 Get petition data (json format) About petition data. They wanted power. In recent manifestos, we have committed to the creation of an elected Senate of the Nations and Regions. [The Lords] is a reminder of our arcane British institutions.” The Lords contains many conscientious and hard-working peers, who apply their serious diligence to … Corbyn’s Labour says they will abolish the House of Lords. The Brexit revolt cannot be protected by a body designed to temper the revolting desires of the people. That means a clear majority of members of the Westminster parliament are not elected, or accountable, to anyone. As we go into next year, we’re going to have to fight for freedom, democracy and sanity all over again. Rather, this is what the Lords exists to do: to temper, tame and in some instances block the will of the Commons and the will of the people, especially when that will poses a threat to establishment interests, as it did during the revolution and following the vote for Brexit. The institution of the House of Lords is an affront to democracy and accountability. Having been degraded by successive party leaders who have stuffed it full of cronies, it is not fit for purpose in the 21st century and must be replaced with an elected chamber.’ – Nigel Farage, November 21, 2019 Now read. Many life peers come to the Lords without much idea of the contribution they are expected to make. Anything you can spare is greatly appreciated. Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey tells Sky News that she wants to scrap the House Of Lords. Responding to the Burns report, she said: “I intend to continue with the restraint which I have exercised to date and, when making appointments, to allocate them fairly, bearing in mind the results of the last general election and the leadership shown by each party in terms of retirements.”. spiked takes a wholly different position, one that is driven by that terribly old-fashioned thing, principle. It is populated entirely with busts of past luminaries of the House of Lords, each of whom has served as British prime minister. In the past 12 months the House of Lords has made almost 2,300 changes to improve legislation; apart from daily oral questions, peers have tabled more than 8,000 written questions and taken part in more than 160 debates; while well over 300 peers have been active members of select committees which have published more than 150 reports on subjects ranging from tuition fees to intergenerational fairness. Abolish the House of Lords N A started this petition to UK Parliament The House of Lords is made up of unelected Peers, many of whom are determined - and have the power to - derail the Government's time table for Brexit. If you do, you will continue to win the support of the teeming millions out there who want Britain to be a greater democracy than it currently is. They mean well. We want to see the total size of the House capped at 600 and fixed terms for new members. That Britain should be a unicameral system, in which no unelected power or person – however ‘good’ the person might be – has any right whatsoever to pore over and potentially alter the will of the Commons. Subscribe to the podcast here. So what is the purpose of the House of Lords? No, abolished. We could set up a system, as is already the case for those who apply to be a crossbench peer, where the House of Lords appointments commission questions each new candidate on the contribution that he or she would make if their appointment was confirmed. The Parliament Act 1911 removed the ability of the House of Lords to veto money bills; with any other bills, the House of Commons was given powers to overrule the Lords' veto after three parliamentary sessions. Because the newly ennobled include Tory pals of Boris Johnson, including his brother, former minister Jo Johnson, and, even worse, some Brexiteers. Seventy nine percent of the British public agree that the House of Lords requires reforming, but cannot decide on the proportion of Lords elected and appointed. Some of them are very nice people. Three of the new peers in particular have rattled the one-time cheerleaders of the second chamber’s plots against democracy – former Labour MPs and Brexit stalwarts Kate Hoey and Gisela Stuart, and former Brexit Party MEP, and friend of spiked, Claire Fox. It stipulates that if a vacancy arises among the Lords Spiritual during the decade after the passing of the act, this vacancy is to be filled by a female bishop (if there are any eligible). The House of Lords should be abolished. We have now set up a new conduct committee under the chairmanship of Lord Mance, a former deputy president of the supreme court. Some in the Brexit camp have argued that the ennobling of Brexiteers is a positive thing for democracy, even that it confers recognition or legitimacy on Brexit. This new parliament was, in effect, the continuation of the Parliament of England with the addition of 45 MPs and 16 Peers to represent Scotland. I very much hope that May will continue to follow her excellent policy of moderation. Today's Parliament of the United Kingdom largely descends, in practice, from the Parliament of England, through the Treaty of Union of 1706 and the Acts of Union that ratified the Treaty in 1707 and created a new Parliament of Great Britain to replace the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. The House of Lords is a cosy club, the executive committee of the British establishment. The House of Lords should be abolished and "replaced with an elected senate", according to former Liberal leader David Steel. The House of Lords costs approximately £93m to run each year. Sure, we’ve left the EU, and the trade talks continue, but what about the spirit of Brexit? Lord Steel will tell a lecture to the Scottish Liberal Club on Tuesday evening that peerages should be scrapped to make way for federalism in the UK. It is in stark contrast to the policy of Tony Blair who appointed 374 new peers and David Cameron who appointed a further 245. In 1917 the Bryce Commission was set up to consider House of Lords reform proposals. The House of Lords is currently the second largest legislative chamber in the world, behind China. Peers voted time and again to block and complicate the passage of Brexit, much to the glee of the Remain-leaning middle classes. The House of Lords should be abolished and "replaced with an elected senate", according to former Liberal leader David Steel. Jeremy Corbyn's spokesman unveils the plan, calling parliament's upper house … Norman Fowler. This petition is closed All petitions run for 6 months. A PETITION to abolish the House of Lords has seen a staggering 100,000 signatures in two weeks following a “rolling cronyism scandal”. Jeremy Corbyn has signalled his intention to push for the abolition of the House of Lords with all new appointments from his party required to pledge they will vote for it in the future. Changes in personnel do not alter that one iota. Of course, those sections of the Remain elite that are now bristling at the Lords because some Brexiteers have been ennobled to sit on its benches are not driven by democratic principle. The biggest controversy over Malevolent May’s decision to dole out 41 awards and peerages has been the Knighthood conferred on former English cricketer Geoffrey Boycott. Their blocking of the Internal Market Bill recently exemplified this, where 800 peers thwarted the democratic will of the people. The role of the British Parliament’s second unelected chamber has been debated for a century to no avail. I should also add it is already the case that every member must make a declaration that they have undertaken parliamentary work when they claim the daily allowance. Because as an institution the Lords plays one role and one role only: it polices and frustrates elective democracy. Democracy cannot be defended in an institution built on anti-democracy. The Lords itself – not the government – has agreed to take action to reduce numbers following the report of the committee I set up under the chairmanship of Terry Burns. spiked intends to play our part. They are a minority, but they undo much of the good work done by the vast majority. After 1911, the House of Lords survived because it slowly and pragmatically reinvented itself as an innocent, wise revising chamber. Abolish the House of Lords NOW. Be brave, Boris: promise us a referendum on the Lords. The House of Lords is the world’s second largest legislative chamber – behind only the Chinese National People’s Congress. The Government has given these people the power to decide on our laws for life – even though they've lost the confidence of their electorate. The House of Lords, formally known as The Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, also known as the House of Peers and domestically usually referred to simply as the Lords, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Membership is granted by appointment or by heredity or official … Policy slowly shifted from abolition to the expulsion of the hereditary peerage, which was finally achieved in 1999, when the House of Lords Act removed all but 92 hereditary legislators. To enquire about republishing spiked’s content, a right to reply or to request a correction, please contact the managing editor, Viv Regan. The House of Lords should not exist. But to do so we need your help. The House of Lords could be something great if governments weren't too afraid or selfish to change it for the better. The shadow business secretary, who … I remember one peer who had just been sworn in coming to me to say they had made a mistake and had not realised the work that was involved. Jeremy Corbyn has signalled his intention to push for the abolition of the House of Lords with all new appointments from his party required to pledge they will vote for it in the future. ABOLISH THE HOUSE OF LORDS The institution of the House of Lords is an affront to democracy and accountability. Since the Burns report was published there have been almost 70 departures from the House but there is clearly more to do. Inherited power has no place in a democracy. Not words … Sign up for email alerts or use our RSS feeds. In killing off the House of Lords, the Commons was making good on one of the demands of the revolutionary Leveller movement, which in 1648 demanded that the Commons should be ‘the supreme authoritie of the people’ and should be defended against ‘all pretences of Negative Voices, either in King or Lords’. Last modified on Mon 3 Jun 2019 14.08 EDT. This is a debate that is overdue by about 100 years. “In the coming days the House of Lords will grow even bigger as the Prime Minister announces another batch of peerages. The House of Lords is a fundamental part of the British parliament by which we are ruled in Scotland. Apparently only decent, Remain-backing folk like them should ever get to don the ermine robes of this bloated, privileged, populace-defying institution. As we await the result of the Conservative leadership election and the new prime minister we want to see the policy of Theresa May, exercising restraint in appointing new members to the Lords, continued by her successors. 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