Elect the Lords was set up in 2004 by Unlock Democracy’s predecessor organisations to campaign for a predominantly elected second chamber to replace the existing House of Lords at the earliest opportunity.
In 2007, the House of Commons voted to further explore the options of an 80% elected and wholly elected second chamber, ruling out all other options.
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 [...]
Following Jack Straw’s statement in the Commons today, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said:
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to a predominantly or wholly elected second chamber. As Jack Straw said today, the vote in March changed the nature of the argument irrevocably. There can be no going back to piecemeal solutions that will satisfy [...]
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 [...]
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:
“We appreciate that completing reform before the General Election will be extremely difficult and thus welcome Mr Straw’s announcement that he is determined to proceed. [...]
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.
Gordon Brown has repeatedly indicated his support for democratic [...]
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.
Speaking in light of House of Lords decision to vote against reform today, Director [...]
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.
In fact, the costings suggest an annual cost of £140m, less than half the cost of the existing House of Commons. The annual cost would be even [...]
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.
Asked “MPs have recently decided that the House of Lords should be fully elected. Do you approve of this decision or disapprove?” the survey of 1,003 people polled by [...]
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:
“Cynicism occasionally allows people to leap to conclusions that don’t bear any relation to common sense. The bottom line is that on Wednesday, the [...]
Commenting on the House of Commons vote this evening for an 80% elected second chamber, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said:
“Both Charter 88 and the New Politics Network have campaigned for a ‘next best’ option of a predominantly elected second chamber on the expectation that it stood the best chance for reform. But we [...]
