Comments on: Lords reform White Paper

By: lordnorton

lordnorton — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:38:13 +0000

The parties seem to be motivated by a desire not to be out-flanked by the other parties, apparently working under the delusion that this somehow matters to people in the country. As you will see from my latest post, the White Paper contains various unsubstantiated assertions, not least in relation to legitimacy and democracy.

By: Adrian Kidney

Adrian Kidney — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:21:22 +0000

So, Lord Norton, do you think the Government’s obsession with reform of the second chamber is a) a will-intended but naive belief in the inherent superiority and magnamimous civic-minded generosity of the elected representative, or b) a cynical ploy to replace the best check on Government heavy-handedness with a totally compliant rubber-stamping institution? Or c) something else?

I notice in the White Paper that the Government insists an elected second chamber would be more active and assertive than the Lords, but does not give any explanation as to why it believes this or how it envisions it would be more active, considering the limitations on the Lords’ powers.

By: lordnorton

lordnorton — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:09:45 +0000

Yes, it is available via the Ministry of Justice website. It can be found at:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/elected-second-chamber.pdf

By: W Ollerenshaw

W Ollerenshaw — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:15:41 +0000

Is the paper published online as it is released? I can not seem to find it on Parliament’s website.

By: NHackett

NHackett — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:48:00 +0000

The reform of the House of Lords under this government has become a huge farce. The 1999 reform which was Tony Blair’s big chance to change things was watered down because New Labour had no idea what the end position was to be and did not want an all appointed second chamber. From 1999 onwards there has been no direction on what the government wants no leadership in reform and White papers that have become increasingly comic. The fact that this present government thinks that it has the solutions in its present difficulty only goes to demonstrate its problems. These latest proposals will only result in a quick retreat once announced by the increasingly irrelevant present leader of the House and consigned like most of the present government’s announcements of late to the political dustbin. It is an insult to a great institution and a testament to the Lords that each set of new proposals becomes more and more unworkable.

By: lordnorton

lordnorton — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:58:01 +0000

Adrian Kidney: In the Lords, parliamentary papers and other documents, such as the White Paper, are held in the Printed Paper Office (PPO). We pick up order papers, Hansard, and the relevant papers for the day’s proceedings from there. Occasionally, as I suspect may happen with the White Paper, a document is circulated to all members via their mail trays.

By: Adrian Kidney

Adrian Kidney — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:03:49 +0000

Lord Norton, do you get copies of White Papers, reports, and so on, mailed directly to your office at the Palace, or is there a central point that peers can collect any documents they wish?