// Thoughts for September
Digby Lord Jones THOUGHTS FOR SEPTEMBER
Whatever you may have gathered from the nefarious pursuits of Lord Sewell and their lurid revelation in the national and – sadly – interna- tional media, his are activities which are very much the exception not the rule. (Mind you, we could do without the remark evidently overheard at one watering-hole where Peers of a certain age and inclination gather: "How disgraceful! Brings us all into disrepute; using only a five pound note! What IS the world coming to?”)
What this scandal has brought – again – into sharp focus is the current make-up of the House of Lords, its usefulness, its justification, its relevance and whether any different ways of delivering Second-Chamber-Oversight are possible and achievable.
There are over 850 members of the Upper House. They act very much like the nation's non-executive director. We advise, revise and delay would-be legislation and kick-up a stink every so often, but we would never overrule the House of Commons; we have no democratic mandate and no locus democratically to represent the people.
(An interesting observation, en passant, is that I am struggling to see where the democratic connection is between an SNP MP as part of 56 MPs elected on 5% of the popular vote and hell-bent on destroying the UK and a member of the Electorate in, say, Cornwall (Norway is nearer Aberdeen than is Bodmin!) who voted UKIP alongside 12.5% of the Electorate and who sees just one member of her or his Party in the Commons.)
We are there to scrutinise the work of the Commons. We have all done something with our lives. With the exception of front-bench representatives on both sides, politics is not our career; in some cases, is no longer; in others, never was. Go into the Public Gallery on any day and you will see informed debates being conducted – without the beer-garden, juvenile heckling of that place with Green Benches – by experts in their field including: former military; police; security services; diplomats; businesswomen and businessmen; sportsmen and women; leaders of all religious faiths; trade
unionists; environmentalists; transport experts; educationalists; medical
experts...the list goes on.
There are five former Chiefs of the Defence Staff, four former Chancellors of the Exchequer, three former Home Secretaries, two former Deputy Prime Ministers... and there we are, Floella Benjamin, Alan Sugar, Robert Winston and me, all auditioning to be the Partridge in the Pear Tree!
When the noble Peers and Baronesses argue and debate, at least they know what they are talking about! Far be it from a humble Baron to observe that that might not always be the case down the corridor!
And all this is excellent value for money! The much-derided Daily Allowance of £300 is only paid for physically turning up in the Chamber or in Committee; all the other work – ambassadorial (but not of the kind with which Lord Sewell is all too familiar), representative, entertaining, educational, media, and taking up causes and issues on behalf of individuals and causes is all
for free. You get your second-class train fare reimbursed upon production of a receipt and that's it. No subsistence allowance, no help with secretarial costs, no reimbursement of intra- London travel costs; that is what the £300 is for.
But things MUST
change...now! It is too big by far; it is losing its street-cred with the general public and its very right to exist is being (often and not manically) called into question. Something must be done...quickly!
The Prime Minister has said that reform is out of the question until at least 2020 – after the next General Election. He is wrong!
Here are five simple, easily-achievable reforms that could be tabled, debated and hopefully implemented by teatime tomorrow if there was only a will. Their adoption would make the Upper House far more fit for purpose in the 21st century and enable its work to be appreciated in an atmosphere of better understanding:
1. Over 75 (or maybe 80)? Goodbye & thank you. 2. Don't bother to turn up regularly? No problem;
of Birmingham
I know you will find it difficult to believe, Dear Reader, but Peers of the Realm do not spend their languid days kitted out in questionable lingerie, quaffing champagne and snorting cocaine off the nether regions of ladies of negotiable availability.
your obvious wish can be made permanent. 3. Criminal record? On your way.
4. Only there because Daddy was? Try your hand at being appointed on merit alone.
5. Remove the power of patronage and reward from the Prime Minister (or other Party Leaders) and ensure all further appointments are made by an independent panel. Successful candidates could of course join a political party (but why they would want to is beyond me! Life is so much more fun on the non-aligned, cross-benches. With us, you have to win the argument to get our vote, not just get out the Whip), but they would be chosen on merit and contribution, not as a reward or just to ‘beef up the numbers’.
To those who want the Second Chamber elected I say, "Take your case to the Commons". They currently rule the roost; they are sovereign; do they really want to be eclipsed and overruled, beaten up and publicly frustrated by an elected Upper House? Does the country want another load of paid careerists who have never done anything with their lives?
An appointed House of some 350, fit-for-purpose and of perceived and actual relevance with better PR and of an independent air is so easily achievable and would answer so many critics. You'll never stop the likes of Lord Sewell and his machinations in any walk of life, but you can provide immediate answers for the justifiable criticisms that rightly arise at the same time as such revelations. Get on with it Prime Minister!
Lord Digby Jones
Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham KB has been a cross-bench Peer since 2007. He is the only Minister of Government in the history of the UK not to belong to the Party of Government.
/ 55
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164