Parliamentary Reform
BACKGROUND - MOTIVATION/THE NEED FOR REFORM?
o Blair/Brown - By 97 reform of the HOL was overdue - no longer acceptable in modern democracy for part of legislature to be based on
hereditary peerages
o Labour = afraid its legislative programme might be obstructed by a Conservative 2nd chamber
o Labour had a massive majority and could push the reforms through
o Even after Blair’s reforms (removal of all but 92 hereditary Peers in 2000 under the House of Lords Act 1999) - still further demand for
reform especially after the loans for lordships scandal in 2006
o HOC vote in March 2007 = overwhelming majority for elected 2nd chamber (Hansard = DC voted against it)
o Now a good degree of cross party consensus about reform
o Coalition Govt: - Under new coalition - both Lib Dems and Conservatives = under represented in HOL - only way to rectify is to create more
new life peerages - but this = ‘considered politically toxic’ and has been ruled out
o In Conservative mainfesto = “mainly elected” HoL wheras Lib Dems = “wholly elected” second chamber
o June 2010 - at PMQs DC announced that HoL reform was to proceed and that a draft motion would be put before the HoC before the end
of the year
REFORMS
o HOL - after tricky negotiations with the Conservatives (had majority in HoL) - number of hereditary peers was reduced from several
hundred to 92 (elected by the other HPs)
o This was implemented by the House of Lords Act 1999 - removed automatic conservative majority in HoL
o This was supposed to be the start of a process - the tricky part was then to determine the best composition for the new chamber in the
long term
o Despite various initiatives and white papers, this issue remains unresolved
o Parliamentary vote 2003 - proposals were effectively rejected
o Historic vote in March 2007 - HoC voted for fully elected HoL by a majority of 113 (but the vote= only advisory in nature- not implemented
due to lengthy consultation process/general election
o The coalition Govt agreement have indicated desire for a wholly/mainly elected 2nd chamber - elected on the basis of PR
o These proposals = debated 29.6.2010
o As an interim measure, appointment of new peers will reflect shares of the vote secured by the political parties in the last general election
o June 2010 - at PMQs DC announced that HoL reform was to proceed and that a motion would be put before the HoC before the end of the
year
o HOC - Reforms have been piecemeal and largely superficial
o Some strengthening of departmental select committees and tinkering with working hours and PMQs
o Gordon Brown did propose a more radical shift in the balance of power away from the PM and Govt. towards the HOC - but this = difficult changes = not implemented
o Attention = shifted to reform of pay and expenses system following the MPs expenses scandals in 2009 [following which Labour MPs Elliot
Morley, Jim Devine , David Chaytor are being taken to court]
o A new system = introduced whereby the issue of expenses and MPs pay = placed in the hands of an independent commission
o The 2009 scandal = seriously damaged reputation of the HoC [note: two Labour Peers and a cross bencher - Lord Paul , Baroness Uddin and
Lord Bhatia are also being taken to court for expenses issues)
o However, despite the impact at the time - these measures = little long term impact and therefore cannot be seen as a major parliamentary
reform
WHAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF THE REFORM?
o By House of Lords Act 1999 number of hereditary peers = reduced to 92
o This removed the automatic Conservative majority in the HOL
o It enhanced Democratic Legitimacy
o However - reform remains unfinished
HOW SUCCESSFUL HAS IT BEEN ? - PRAISE/CRITICISMS
o This removed the automatic Conservative majority in the HOL
o It enhanced Democratic Legitimacy
o Criticised that only ‘phase 1’ has been implemented - need for further reform
o HoC reforms = piecemeal
o Lack of substantive Parliamentary reform = seen as “major hole” in Blair reforms [Heywood]
FUTURE:
o DC announced a cross party committee would put a draft motion put before the HOC by the end of the year on HOL reform
o ‘We will establish a committee to bring forward proposals for a wholly or mainly elected upper chamber on the basis of proportional
representation. The committee will come forward with a draft motion by December 2010. It is likely that this will advocate single long
terms of office. It is also likely that there will be a grandfathering system for current Peers. In the interim, Lords appointments will be made
with the objective of creating a second chamber that is reflective of the share of the vote secured by the political parties in the last general
election’. Coalition Programme for Govt. (GPG)
o We will bring forward the proposals of the Wright Committee for reform to the House of Commons in full – starting with the proposed
committee for management of backbench business. A House Business Committee, to consider government business, will be established by
the third year of the Parliament. - CPG
o We will establish five-year fixed-term Parliaments. We will put a binding motion before the House of Commons stating that the next
general election will be held on the first Thursday of May 2015. Following this motion, we will legislate to make provision for fixed-term
Parliaments of five years. This legislation will also provide for dissolution if 55% or more of the House votes in favour. - CPG