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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| UKIP demands more seats in Lords | UKIP demands more seats in Lords |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UKIP will "absolutely insist" on being granted new peers in the House of Lords, leader Nigel Farage has told his party at a conference. | UKIP will "absolutely insist" on being granted new peers in the House of Lords, leader Nigel Farage has told his party at a conference. |
| Mr Farage said the party would demand a "fair quota" following its performance in the European elections. | Mr Farage said the party would demand a "fair quota" following its performance in the European elections. |
| It comes after former leader Lord Pearson accused the government of dishonesty for not doing so already. | It comes after former leader Lord Pearson accused the government of dishonesty for not doing so already. |
| He said the coalition was committed to a policy that should give UKIP a bigger presence in the Lords. | He said the coalition was committed to a policy that should give UKIP a bigger presence in the Lords. |
| But the peer, who briefly led UKIP in 2010, said ministers had made clear they had no intention of delivering. | But the peer, who briefly led UKIP in 2010, said ministers had made clear they had no intention of delivering. |
| UKIP has three representatives in the Lords, all defectors from the Conservatives. | UKIP has three representatives in the Lords, all defectors from the Conservatives. |
| Mr Farage, who has petitioned David Cameron for greater representation in the Lords in the past, told the conference in Eastbourne: "We are going to absolutely insist we are given a sensible, fair quota of working peers to operate in the House of Lords." | Mr Farage, who has petitioned David Cameron for greater representation in the Lords in the past, told the conference in Eastbourne: "We are going to absolutely insist we are given a sensible, fair quota of working peers to operate in the House of Lords." |
| He added that UKIP would have to up its game if it was to be ready for the general election next year. | |
| 'Transparently dishonest' | 'Transparently dishonest' |
| Lord Pearson has written to Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude complaining of the government's failure to appoint UKIP members to the Lords. | Lord Pearson has written to Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude complaining of the government's failure to appoint UKIP members to the Lords. |
| In a letter, seen by the BBC, he said it represented the "sort of behaviour which makes the political class so increasingly unpopular with real people". | In a letter, seen by the BBC, he said it represented the "sort of behaviour which makes the political class so increasingly unpopular with real people". |
| The topped the polls in the European elections with 27.5% of the vote, which he said made its case "even stronger than it was before". | The topped the polls in the European elections with 27.5% of the vote, which he said made its case "even stronger than it was before". |
| In the coalition agreement, the government agreed lords should be appointed to make the upper house reflect the share of the vote secured by the parties in the last general election. | In the coalition agreement, the government agreed lords should be appointed to make the upper house reflect the share of the vote secured by the parties in the last general election. |
| An analysis by University College London suggested UKIP would need 23 extra peers to meet that commitment. | An analysis by University College London suggested UKIP would need 23 extra peers to meet that commitment. |
| The UCL report, published in 2011, opposed the government's policy and called for a moratorium on new appointments. | The UCL report, published in 2011, opposed the government's policy and called for a moratorium on new appointments. |
| Lord Pearson told Radio Four's Today programme: "Our democracy requires that we have more than three peers in the House of Lords when we're getting 27% of the vote in the latest national election. I mean it is transparently dishonest. | Lord Pearson told Radio Four's Today programme: "Our democracy requires that we have more than three peers in the House of Lords when we're getting 27% of the vote in the latest national election. I mean it is transparently dishonest. |
| "It is dishonest for over a period of four years to go on saying we're going to do this and then making it perfectly clear that we've no intention of it." | "It is dishonest for over a period of four years to go on saying we're going to do this and then making it perfectly clear that we've no intention of it." |
| Under review | Under review |
| The government policy set out in the coalition agreement remains in place. | The government policy set out in the coalition agreement remains in place. |
| But in a letter to Lord Pearson in 2010 David Cameron said he had no intention of increasing the number of UKIP peers. | But in a letter to Lord Pearson in 2010 David Cameron said he had no intention of increasing the number of UKIP peers. |
| A Cabinet Office spokesman said its position was unchanged but the prime minister would continue to keep the numbers of minority parties in the Lords under review. | A Cabinet Office spokesman said its position was unchanged but the prime minister would continue to keep the numbers of minority parties in the Lords under review. |
| Since May 2010 160 peers have been created. The Green Party of England and Wales was granted a seat in the Lords last year. | Since May 2010 160 peers have been created. The Green Party of England and Wales was granted a seat in the Lords last year. |
| Last year, Lord Pearson suggested in a letter to the prime minister that UKIP peers would support the government most of the time. | Last year, Lord Pearson suggested in a letter to the prime minister that UKIP peers would support the government most of the time. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that would no longer apply. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that would no longer apply. |