[jambutty]

I take your point about the current House of Lords curbing the excesses of Parliament Ianto.W. but the government can override the Lords if they want to and has done.

The majority of this country does not have political leanings as such and certainly only a small minority actually belong to a political party.

How do you get a non political body as a second chamber?

Each candidate from a pre-designated area would put themselves up for election to the Upper House and the country would cast their votes in a national general election. 2 years after a government is voted into office would probably be a good time. Note that I did not state power, as is the general trend these days. Power implies dictatorship. But TB and Co all use the term ‘power’. It shows their thinking!

Many people always come back with the old standby “we have had this system for hundreds of years and it’s served us well, so why change.” What about “to make things better and more accountable to the public!” We used to light our rooms with a flame of some sort for thousands of years but we don’t do that today.

Jack Straw is pushing the House of Lords reforms but I fear that the end result will not do much for you and me.