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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Straw to reveal Lords reform plan | Straw to reveal Lords reform plan |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| The government is to unveil its long-awaited Lords reform plans, with MPs divided over how many peers should be elected and how many appointed. | The government is to unveil its long-awaited Lords reform plans, with MPs divided over how many peers should be elected and how many appointed. |
| Commons leader Jack Straw wants a 50/50 split but is expected to offer seven different options in a White Paper. | Commons leader Jack Straw wants a 50/50 split but is expected to offer seven different options in a White Paper. |
| The Lib Dems and some Labour MPs are promising to revive a campaign for a fully elected second chamber. | The Lib Dems and some Labour MPs are promising to revive a campaign for a fully elected second chamber. |
| The Lib Dems said ending an "outdated system of patronage" was needed to restore faith in democracy. | The Lib Dems said ending an "outdated system of patronage" was needed to restore faith in democracy. |
| 'Vast range of views' | 'Vast range of views' |
| The White Paper - a document which puts government ideas to MPs for consultation before a final bill is drafted - is expected to call for the number of peers to be reduced from the current 746 to 540. | |
| Elected members would sit for a maximum of three five-year terms, Mr Straw is predicted to say. | |
| The White Paper is reported to include a generous redundancy package for the remaining 92 hereditary and appointed peers. | |
| Mr Straw is reported to want to boost the quality of appointees and is proposing a double threshold to ensure that candidates put forward by politicians meet criteria of "propriety and suitability." | |
| The idea is that this would stop governments appointing peers to increase their numbers in the Lords. | |
| 'Range of views' | |
| The Commons will vote on the exact proportion of peers to be elected, with the options ranging from none to all. | The Commons will vote on the exact proportion of peers to be elected, with the options ranging from none to all. |
| Labour backbenchers and peers were reported to have expressed a "vast range of views" on their preferred options at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday. | Labour backbenchers and peers were reported to have expressed a "vast range of views" on their preferred options at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday. |
| Under the current plan, MPs will vote first on whether they want any kind of upper house at all and then whether the current House of Lords should be reformed. | Under the current plan, MPs will vote first on whether they want any kind of upper house at all and then whether the current House of Lords should be reformed. |
| They will then vote on seven options for reform: all elected; 80% elected and 20% appointed; 60% elected and 40% appointed; half and half; 40% elected and 60% appointed; 20% elected and 80% appointed; or all appointed. | They will then vote on seven options for reform: all elected; 80% elected and 20% appointed; 60% elected and 40% appointed; half and half; 40% elected and 60% appointed; 20% elected and 80% appointed; or all appointed. |
| Instead of going through the division lobbies, MPs will indicate their preferences in order on a ballot paper. | Instead of going through the division lobbies, MPs will indicate their preferences in order on a ballot paper. |
| The least popular option will be knocked out and its second preferences redistributed until one option achieves a majority. | |
| The White Paper comes as the police investigation into "cash for honours" continues. | The White Paper comes as the police investigation into "cash for honours" continues. |
| The vast majority of Lords must be elected if we are going to go some way to restoring public faith in the political system Sir Menzies CampbellLiberal Democrat leader | The vast majority of Lords must be elected if we are going to go some way to restoring public faith in the political system Sir Menzies CampbellLiberal Democrat leader |
| Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "Reform of the House of Lords is long overdue but the government's proposed position is unsatisfactory and unsustainable. | Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "Reform of the House of Lords is long overdue but the government's proposed position is unsatisfactory and unsustainable. |
| "Most importantly, it will not end political nominations or the corrosive suspicion that seats in the second chamber are sold by political parties. | "Most importantly, it will not end political nominations or the corrosive suspicion that seats in the second chamber are sold by political parties. |
| "The scandal surrounding cash for peerages underlines the need to reform the outdated system of patronage through which most people are appointed to the Lords. | "The scandal surrounding cash for peerages underlines the need to reform the outdated system of patronage through which most people are appointed to the Lords. |
| "The vast majority of Lords must be elected if we are going to go some way to restoring public faith in the political system." | "The vast majority of Lords must be elected if we are going to go some way to restoring public faith in the political system." |
| Former chancellor Ken Clarke, who is leading a Tory working group on constitutional reform, has said he favours having mostly elected peers. | Former chancellor Ken Clarke, who is leading a Tory working group on constitutional reform, has said he favours having mostly elected peers. |
| But some prominent Conservative MPs, including Patrick Cormack and John Maples, are said to prefer appointed members. | But some prominent Conservative MPs, including Patrick Cormack and John Maples, are said to prefer appointed members. |
| Research by the Hansard Society think-tank suggests only 6% of the public want a fully appointed House of Lords, with 82% preferring at least some elected members. | Research by the Hansard Society think-tank suggests only 6% of the public want a fully appointed House of Lords, with 82% preferring at least some elected members. |
| Its survey of 1,980 adults found 40% wanted a mixture of elected and appointed members, and 42% wanted the second chamber to be fully elected. | Its survey of 1,980 adults found 40% wanted a mixture of elected and appointed members, and 42% wanted the second chamber to be fully elected. |