Straw 'planning Lords overhaul'

news.bbc.co.uk...

So, it may be happening. the long process may be coming to an end very soon. I believe this process has been going since 2002, but the question is, will it be still called the House of Lords or will it be called something else? House of The Senate?

[edit on 22-10-2006 by infinite]

posted by infinite

Ministers want a radical overhaul of the House of Lords, including an end to life peerage and quotas for ethnic minorities, a leaked document says.

The Sunday Times said Commons leader Jack Straw had drawn up proposals for half of all peers to be elected and half appointed. The number of peers would also be reduced by a third, it adds.


Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

So, it may be happening. the long process may be coming to an end very soon . . will it be called something else? House of The Senate? [Edited by Don W]

Senate? As in Rome or America? Unlikely. England is still the “mother country” and not likely to emulate the “daughter” even if it looks their way might work better.

Help me. Here’s what I think I know about the House of Lords. It has about 1,100 members but only 200-300 regularly attend. Members are hereditary as in the case of the Royals. Dukes, Earls, and other carry-overs from the feudal times. There are also “life” peers who are appointed as a reward for good public service. Lady Thatcher. Lord Atlee. Etc.

Then there are the Law Lords. Judges who are the Court of Last Resort for the United Kingdom. Also life appointees. The number varies from time to time, but a fixed number is assigned to hear each particular case. The House of Lords is very limited in its capability to participate in the governance of the United Kingdom. It cannot initiate legislation and can only delay a bill for up to 1 year, when it then becomes law. The Commons can even avoid that if it so determines.

I see the House of Lords as a repository of experience and the preserver of ancient and honorable traditions. Keep it. Reform it, but leave the name alone!



[edit on 10/22/2006 by donwhite]

The problem with radically reforming the House of Lords is that it begs the question, why keep lords around at all anyway, and why keep the royals around at all either?

Originally posted by Nygdan
The problem with radically reforming the House of Lords is that it begs the question, why keep lords around at all anyway, and why keep the royals around at all either?

exactly, they will not be called Lords or Peers anymore. Thats being scrapped.

Regarding Law Lords, they're being scrapped because in 2009,the UK Supreme Court will be opened (the building is currently being built lol).

It will be called either the House of The Senate or House of the People (that idea was brought forward by Tony Benn)

posted by infinite
“ . . exactly, they will not be called Lords or Peers anymore. That’s being scrapped. Regarding Law Lords, they're being scrapped because in 2009 the UK Supreme Court will be opened (the building is currently being built lol). It will be called either the House of The Senate or House of the People (that idea was brought forward by Tony Benn). [Edited by Don W]

I don’t know Tony Benn. It seems “Commons” is sufficiently close to the people not to have a carbon copy. I knew there was trouble afoot when the Stone of Scone was sent back. And here we sit in America with a president we don’t like, but who will be in office until January 20. 2009! The government would have fallen after August, 2005, with Katrina! We would have had elections around Halloween in 2005. The WoT would be over, Guantanamo closed and the Patriot Act repealed; and we’d be on our way home from Iraq. You Brits don’t know how good you’ve got it!

See www.highlanderweb.co.uk...



[edit on 10/22/2006 by donwhite]