Earlier today through the course of my work in a call centre I had a caller from Criccieth. Of course this is also the home of a certain well know Liberal Prime Minister, David Lloyd George. Of course sadly one of the things he was remembered for for abusing the peerage system for profit.
However, before he became PM on 10 August 1911 the Parliament Act came into being. 94 years later the Preamble to that act still rings out today:
“it is intended to substitute for the House of Lords as it at present exists a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis, but such substitution cannot be immediately brought into operation.”
Nearly a century later, we still don't have a Second Chamber constituted on a 'popular basis'. Rather, the removal of most of the hereditaries has been replaced by patronage - Tony Blair has appointed more people to the House of Lords than any other Prime Minister in history. Labour promised to hold a free vote on the composition of the upper house in their manifesto.
August 10th this year is being highlighted by the Elect the Lords group to poplicised the need for reform. Make your voice known at http://www.ElectTheLords.org.uk and sign up to make sure democracy is brought to the Upper House of Parliament.
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