‘DINOSAURS’ MUST NOT BLOCK COMMITMENT ON LORDS REFORM

The Government underlined its commitment to reforming the House of Lords this afternoon, as Lord Hunt of Kings Heath told Peers that Ministers had a responsibility to submit to the will of the elected House of Commons.

MPs voted for either an 80% or 100% elected second chamber when a range of options was put to them in March last year.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Hunt said: “reform of the House can improve democratic arrangements in this country…if it were elected it would have increased legitimacy.”

Commenting after Question Time in the Chamber, Liberal Democrat Constitutional Affairs spokesman, Lord Tyler said:

“Today’s exchanges show just how far the Government Ministers dealing with House of Lords Reform have moved.

“Only last year, we would have been faced with a wall of indifference and intransigence.

“The cross-party group seems to be making real progress on a White Paper to cement consensus ahead of a General Election.

“Ministers must not be blown off course by the dinosaurs on their own backbenches and the bitter internal wrangling amongst the Tories.  All three main parties must sign up to a common commitment to finish the job.

“Neither protestations as to present Peers’ ‘expertise’ nor perennial grumbling from the red benches will sate the legitimate public demand for a wholly democratic Parliament.”

ENDS