One of the options that was discussed was for an elected House with the electees being drawn from a nominated list. In what way is this different from having an appointed house? If anything this will make for an even less democratic system than that which we have now. The list of electees will be made up of the same cronies and yes men that are currently being appointed. This is not democracy. The Power Inquiry specifically notes that electees to the House of Lords should be made up of everyday people with the skills needed to perform as an independant House without the ties to the main House. This is clearly NOT what is being suggested. What we will have is an upper House put in place to rubberstamp whatever the current government policy of the day is. Each "Lord" will be well aware that they owe their seat to the Patronage of one of the main parties and as such will vote accordingly. What they want is not a democratically elected Upper House but the semblance of one. What we will actually get is an elected dictatorship with leaders hand picked by the government of the day.
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Mark Bestford
Posted on 8 Mar 2007 2:20 pm (Report this annotation)
One of the options that was discussed was for an elected House with the electees being drawn from a nominated list. In what way is this different from having an appointed house? If anything this will make for an even less democratic system than that which we have now. The list of electees will be made up of the same cronies and yes men that are currently being appointed. This is not democracy. The Power Inquiry specifically notes that electees to the House of Lords should be made up of everyday people with the skills needed to perform as an independant House without the ties to the main House. This is clearly NOT what is being suggested. What we will have is an upper House put in place to rubberstamp whatever the current government policy of the day is. Each "Lord" will be well aware that they owe their seat to the Patronage of one of the main parties and as such will vote accordingly. What they want is not a democratically elected Upper House but the semblance of one. What we will actually get is an elected dictatorship with leaders hand picked by the government of the day.
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