Local MP Mark Field must say goodbye to cronyism, says local LibDem (Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats)

Westminster and City of London Liberal Democrats <info@westminsterlibdems.org.uk>

Local MP Mark Field must say goodbye to cronyism, says local LibDem

February 8, 2007 2:14 PM

Local LibDem Stuart Bonar is challenging Cities of London & Westminster MP Mark Field to vote for an end to cronyism in the House of Lords.

The Government published their proposals for Lords reform yesterday [7 February], and the local Liberal Democrat campaigner has hit out at them.

Commenting, he said: "The vast majority of peers should be elected. Conservative MPs like Mark Field must stand up and demand fair representation for local people.

"Reform of the House of Lords is long overdue, but the Government still wants to be able to appoint their cronies to make our laws."

The Government wants only half of the House of Lords to be elected and most of the rest appointed by political parties. The remainder would be appointed by an independent commission.

Continuing, Stuart Bonar commented: "Half is just not good enough. If we are to have a fair and representative second chamber, we need at least the vast majority of peers to be elected and for politicians to have no hand in picking the rest.

"Westminster's Conservative MP Mark Field must stand up and vote with Liberal Democrat MPs in the House of Commons who will be voting to end this cronyism and inject a little more democracy into the Lords."

Notes:

The Government's White Paper was published on 7 February and proposes that:

half of peers to be elected, 30% appointed by political parties and 20% appointed by an independent commission;
no new hereditary peers are appointed;
no new life peers are appointed;
members hold office for a non-renewable term of 15 years.

Liberal Democrats believe:

the majority of the House of Lords should be elected, with no more than 20% appointed by an Independent Appointments Commission
there should be no more political appointees;
there should be no more hereditaries and no more life peers created;
hereditaries should cease to serve at the date of the first elections;
members should be elected under a system that gives voters real choice (such as the Single Transferable Vote);
members should serve up to three fixed four-year terms and no more;
a reformed House of Lords should retain its powers of scrutiny over the Government.

A vote on the proposals is expected in early March.