Lords Must Be Reformed For The 21st Century

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 7th Mar 2007

Speaking in the debate on reform of the House of Lords today, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield said:

"I find it incredible that in the 21st century Members of the House of Commons are seriously arguing for both hereditary and political appointments to the House of Lords.

"Why should membership remain an accident of birth for the few? Why should it be in the gift of the Government which as we have seen leads to the alleged scandal of cash for peerages?

"The argument that this is traditional is nonsense. Traditionally the United Kingdom was an absolute monarchy but no-one would suggest that we return to that!

"I shall be voting for an 100% elected upper chamber to bring our Parliament into the 21st century and complete the reforms started a century ago by the Liberals with the 1911 Parliament Act."

"If it is only 80% elected, 20% appointed then the 20% should not include automatically reserved places for the Bishops. No other country in Europe reserves places in Parliament for religious leaders."