Labour’s plans for a fully elected second chamber

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

The Sunday Telegraph has the story that Jack Straw is to discuss with cabinet plans to include a move towards a fully elected, 300-member strong second chamber.

The Telegraph says:

“Under the government’s proposals, members of the new chamber would be able to be subject to a US-style “recall ballot” which would disqualify them for incompetence.”

“The plans would see all members of the new-look assembly being directly elected – ending the system of party patronage – with polling under some form of proportional representation system taking place at the same time as general elections.”

“One third of the new chamber would be elected on each occasion – with members serving three terms, up to 15 years, once elected in a similar system to the one in use to choose members of the US Senate.

“Under the plans, ministers could only be appointed from peers who had been elected – bringing to an end the “GOATS” system which has seen Gordon Brown choosing as members of his government people from outside politics whom he has appointed peers.

“In the event of death, members would be replaced without the need for by-elections under some sort of “best loser” system. Members would be paid a salary which has yet to be fixed – but it would almost certainly be less than the £64,766 currently paid to backbench MPs.”

With so little time before the election for new legislation, the plans may make up part of Labour’s manifesto – and show the Tories, who would likely oppose the plans, as the party of the status quo over change.

A fully elected second chamber was the fourth most popular policy proposal in LabourList’s “New Ideas for a Renewed Movement” series last summer, in which nearly 1,000 people voted. Responding to the proposal, Labour’s manifesto co-ordinator Ed Miliband wrote in January:

“A fully elected House of Lords – Britain needs a new constitutional and political settlement for a new era. Our immediate task is completing the removal of the hereditary principle from the House of Lords. But we will also ask for a clear mandate to make the Lords accountable and genuinely democratic.”