http://www.electthelords.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Elect The Lords en-GB Elect The Lords http://www.electthelords.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Elect The Lords 2008-07-05T01:11+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000087/today_is_lords_reform_day.html Wouldn't it be outrageous if it took Parliament more than 100 years to fulfill its commitment to replace the House of Lords with something democratic? 2007-08-10T10:21+01:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000086/first_lords_elections_should_take_place_in_may_2011.html Today (10 August) marks the 96th anniversary of the Parliament Act 1911 receiving Royal Assent. This legislation committed Parliament to replacing the House of Lords with "a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis" adding that "such substitution cannot be immediately brought into operation." Unlock Democracy is calling on the Government to hold the first elections to the Second Chamber in May 2011, to ensure that the first elected Members are in office before the centenary of the Act. 2007-08-10T00:00+01:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000085/now_is_the_time_to_deliver_lords_reform.html Following Jack Straw's statement in the Commons today, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said: 2007-07-19T14:00+01:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000084/house_of_lords_bill_will_not_solve_democratic_deficit.html While welcoming many of the proposed reforms in Lord Steel of Aikwood's House of Lords Bill, which receives its second reading in the House of Lords this Friday, Unlock Democracy has warned that it must not be seen as an alternative to full democratic reform of the Upper House, following the House of Commons support for either an 80% or fully elected second chamber earlier this year. 2007-07-17T17:10+01:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000083/unlock_democracy_welcomes_jack_straws_pledge_to_press_ahead_with_lords_reform.html Welcoming Jack Straw's assurance that he is "determined to proceed" with Lords reform when giving evidence to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee this afternoon, director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said: 2007-06-19T20:43+01:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000082/tony_blairs_support_for_patronage_shows_need_for_new_approach_under_gordon_brown.html Commenting on outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair's backing of an appointed House of Lords in evidence to the Commons Liaison Select Committee today, Unlock Democracy has called on Gordon Brown to adopt a new approach by announcing a programme of democratic Lords reform early in his premiership. 2007-06-18T00:00+01:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000081/lords_with_low_attendance_blocked_reform.html Unlock Democracy has released figures showing that the peers speaking against reform in the House of Lords this week on average had a lower attendance record than those who spoke in favour of a hybrid house or a fully elected second chamber. 2007-03-14T18:24+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000080/lord_lipseys_cost_estimate_of_elected_lords_15_times_lower_than_reports_suggest.html Unlock Democracy has dismissed Lord Lipsey's claims that an elected second chamber would cost £2 billion after it was revealed that his estimate was for a fifteen year period. 2007-03-13T11:52+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000079/public_backs_house_of_commons_on_lords_reform_by_more_than_2to1.html Unlock Democracy has published polling evidence showing that the general public supports the House of Commons vote for a fully elected second chamber by more than 2-to-1. 2007-03-12T23:59+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000078/jack_straw_must_call_unicameralists_bluff_on_lords_reform.html Responding to reports that a number of unicameralists voted tactically for a fully elected second chamber with a view to derailing the process of reform, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey commented: 2007-03-09T12:22+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000077/unlock_democracy_ecstatic_about_lords_reform_vote.html Commenting on the House of Commons vote this evening for an 80% elected second chamber, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said: 2007-03-07T19:25+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000076/no_ifs_no_buts__conservative_mps_urged_to_vote_for_conservative_manifesto_commitment.html Unlock Democracy is calling on Conservative MPs to honour the Conservative Party manifesto commitment for "a substantially elected House of Lords," and for David Cameron to issue a clear statement urging MPs to vote for the 80% elected options that will be put to the House of Commons on Wednesday. 2007-03-05T16:28+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000075/jack_straws_rallying_call_for_lords_reform.html Writing on the Elect the Lords website, Jack Straw has appealed for reformers not to "make the best the enemy of the good." Acknowledging that he has changed his own view on the composition of the House of Lords since the 2003 vote, he writes "I have come to the conclusion that it is difficult to justify a second chamber where the public has no direct input into who sits in that chamber." 2007-03-02T14:58+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000074/unlock_democracy_issues_leadership_challenge_on_lords_reform.html Unlock Democracy is challenging the main party leaders to declare which way they will be voting in the Lords Reform debate on 7 March 2007. 2007-03-01T16:44+00:00 http://www.electthelords.org.uk/news/000073/reformers_must_unite_behind_proposals_for_a_majority_elected_second_chamber.html Following the publication of the motions that will be put to the House of Commons on House of Lords Reform on 6-7 March, Unlock Democracy has called for reformers to unite behind motions calling for a majority elected second chamber. 2007-02-23T17:32+00:00