Foulkes sets out his Lords reform plans
He said the plans presented, and since abandoned, by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg were “ill-judged and ill thought out”.
Lord Foulkes proposed a “two-stage evolution” with hereditary peers phased out, a retirement scheme and greater transparency of appointment, coupled with a constitutional convention to consider how an elected Lords would fit into the current system, taking account not only of its relationship with the Commons but also the devolved parliaments.
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Hide AdHe said: “My own suggestion to that commission would be a senate of about 450 members elected to represent the nations and regions of the UK with a different remit which leaves the directly elected Commons supreme.”
He claimed such an outcome could be achieved within a decade.
He added: “Another positive advantage of this plan is that it provides a vehicle to look at the devolved parliaments and their relationship with Westminster, including the vexed issue of the West Lothian question, now better described as the English democratic deficit.”