Maybe just a trim and a little tidy!

A couple of weeks ago, by two to one, the British public said NO to AV and put electoral reform and the possibility of changing our current voting system (from First Past The Post to any other system) to bed for what could be a generation. Next stop is House of Lords reforms. Many believe having a referendum so soon after the AV vote is not a good idea and it should be put on hold for now!

However, I think the timing is now perfect, because it’s early in the parliamentary cycle and it will be good to get it out of the way. Add to that, the country is already warmed up by the AV vote plus who knows after the Lords’ maybe we can finally get to have our say on Europe.

A lot of people feel there is nothing wrong with the way the Lords’ currently operates, the service it delivers or the manner by which it delivers it. However, the sheer number of people sitting in house is becoming a joke. But then the way Lords are appointed allows for it to become loaded, unfortunately though some are failed parliamentary candidates, pasted over special advisers and donors with deep pockets, when the main purpose of the house as a body is to pool the best talents, scholars and those who have something unique and specialist expertise to offer the public. It’s a public service body not a retirement home to tuck away wannabes or has- beens and as such it should be treated that way!

It is therefore understandable to look at managing the current numbers while keeping the unique balance and maintaining the house’s legislative powers. But to assume that by abolishing the current house for an elected Senate will solve the problem is narrow and short sighted thinking – because the problem is not in the accountability of most members or in their ability to serve, the problem is in the numbers. And although having an elected upper house might solve the numbers issue, it will however create another elected house when we already have the Commons. Two elected houses side by side when most of our legislation is handed down to us from Europe is expensive madness!

One of the beauties of the House of Lords – including the inherited seats – is having that title bestowed on the person. It’s akin to being elevated to a higher level via good deeds and dedication to public life and services, or being recognised as the best scholar in your field – it’s similar to winning the gold medal in the Olympics of life. Take that away and it becomes another elected body where politics comes first and we have enough of them already, as local councillors, regional assembly members, members of the Commons and the European parliament.

Reforming the Lords does not have to mean abolishing the current Lords, which have serviced us and served us well for hundreds of years – but is should be a targeted and focused reform of some aspects of the current house by strengthening it to better do the job it was meant to do. And, under no circumstance should it be changed as a coalition compromise, we all saw how well that turned out.