House of Lords Reform

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:51 pm on 4 February 2003.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Robin Cook Robin Cook Lord Privy Seal 12:51, 4 February 2003

My right hon. Friend made a point about indirect election. He cannot pick and choose the bits of an intervention to which I respond.

Some form of devolved body covers one third of the British island. There is a strong case for representation of the devolved bodies in the second Chamber through indirect elections. That would count as the elected element. Hon. Members must therefore be clear that if that is part of the solution for securing a democratic reformed second Chamber, they must vote for an elected, not an appointed, option.

My right hon. Friend asked about the election of the directly elected element. It has been common ground in the many different reports on reform—the White Paper, the reports of the Wakeham commission and the Public Administration Committee—that the method of election for the second Chamber should not be the same as that for the first. That ensures that there is no rivalry between them and that their mandate and legitimacy are different.

I understand that my right hon. Friend is a robust advocate of the first-past-the-post system. If he is so committed to it, he should show more confidence in it and its ability to survive competition with alternative forms of election in Britain.