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August 10, 2005
Lords Reform Day
Today is the 94th anniversary of the 1911 Parliament Act, which looked forward (with unjustified optimism) to “a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis”. Led by James Graham of the New Politics Network, 38 bloggers have agreed to write in support in reform.
The facts: Britain is the only so-called established democracy to appoint the members of its second chamber for life. The Kingdom of Lesotho in Africa is the only country in the world with a comparable system.
A total of 65 countries have two-chamber parliaments; 46 of these elect their second chambers, of which 29 are established democracies. Of the 19 countries that appoint their second chambers, only 5 are established democracies.
Unfortunately, according to plans presented to Labour’s national policy forum in July, the Labour Party are again putting forward schemes to minimize reform, weaken the Lords, retain the sleaziest forms of government patronage, and maintain in parliament what the Indonesian generals under Soeharto used to call ‘functional groups’.
From a Scottish perspective, I hope the Lords will one day be part of an English Parliament, but I believe their reform is an essential stage in a series of constitutional reforms that may eventually bring real democracy to every part of the British Isles. (I am delighted to see that the SNP - and Plaid Cymru - are supporting the campaign.)
The Elect the Lords Campaign are asking for your support - and it doesn’t cost anything! All you have to do is click on the link below!
www.new-politics.com/blog/index.php?p=132
Other blog links are available via the Technorati tag electthelords
Posted by Simon Holledge at August 10, 2005 08:07 PM
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