House of Lords - abolish the lot?

[Pontius Navigator]

What useful function does this unelected bunch of free loaders perform?

The hereditary peers got turfed out and now we have a mix of unelectable ex-MPs, the very rich who buy a political peerage, and a number of seats that came with the job.

Let's start with the Arch Bishops. Why in this day and age do we give them a seat?

Then stars of TV shows who donated buckets of money? Does he actually attend at all?

Then we have a dying breed, the 5* military men who traditionally sit on the cross benches, although there is one with a Labour ticket.

Then the law lords, at least they seem to be qualified.

And the likes of Lord Prescott, kicked upstairs for a handy pensions boost. At least no PM since Thatcher has been elevated. And they are still arguing about elevating her to a 10 foot pedestal in Grantham.

Is it not time to have an elected upper chamber that is not loaded by each party? Have elections of 50% at a time but serve no more than 10 years or retire at 75.

[Magnus]

The advantages of the hereditary lot were that they weren't in it for the money, they often had business or estate management experience unlike many MPs, and they weren't put in on a ticket. A friend with industrial experience who was elevated was told by Blair that, on a contentious issue, "We didn't put you in the Lords to vote against the Party".

[Ex-Ascot]

Come on folks that would be very unfair. Where would the poor old buggers sleep during the day if it was abolished, on the streets?

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Yes.

Next!

[BenThere]

How Brits rule themselves is none of our business, but we Americans have from the beginning of the US had a robust antipathy to hereditary authority, divine rights, peerage, and such. All our legislative and executive authority is elected, and our third branch, the judicial, is appointed by the executive branch and approved legislatively by derivative authority granted by the people through elections. The only birthright we concede is to citizenship. I like it that way and think it's a better method, but as I said, it's none of my business.

On the other hand, I do see a benefit to having the landed aristocracy, those with the most to lose and who have the greatest stakes in the welfare of the realm, having a greater, or at least equal voice to those who contribute little or nothing and whose greatest goal is to vote themselves more benefits at the taxpayers' expense. My solution to that problem is to grant the vote to those who pay taxes, and not allow convicted felons, illegal immigrants and non-citizens and non-taxpayers to vote. My belief is that such a regime would produce manifold benefits at every economic level.

While our societies are working all of this out, we seem to be, as I see it, sapping our vitality - transferring broad authority to those getting the benefits while burdening and weakening the productive marrow of our sustainable strength in economic and cultural terms.

[Krystal n Chips]

How Brits rule themselves is none of our business, but we Americans have from the beginning of the US had a robust antipathy to hereditary authority, divine rights, peerage, and such. All our legislative and executive authority is elected, and our third branch, the judicial, is appointed by the executive branch and approved legislatively by derivative authority granted by the people through elections. The only birthright we concede is to citizenship. I like it that way and think it's a better method, but as I said, it's none of my business.

On the other hand, I do see a benefit to having the landed aristocracy, those with the most to lose and who have the greatest stakes in the welfare of the realm, having a greater, or at least equal voice to those who contribute little or nothing and whose greatest goal is to vote themselves more benefits at the taxpayers' expense. My solution to that problem is to grant the vote to those who pay taxes, and not allow convicted felons, illegal immigrants and non-citizens and non-taxpayers to vote. My belief is that such a regime would produce manifold benefits at every economic level.

While our societies are working all of this out, we seem to be, as I see it, sapping our vitality - transferring broad authority to those getting the benefits while burdening and weakening the productive marrow of our sustainable strength in economic and cultural terms.

Well the all American system you so virtuously promote hasn't stopped a few political dynasty families emerging now has it. And there may just be a small problem with getting to be a judge by virtue of "vote for me " allied to the political affinity of whoever is in power at the time.

The UK's "landed aristocracy " through years of careful natural selection, ensures "close family ties " plus, they tend to be the most avaricious parasites around. Viewed from an overseas perspective, I can understand their enticing charm as being the epitome of Britain and our quaint history.....so we won't mention feudalism or the oppression of those deemed as serfs over the years.

[BenThere]

The US has had a few dynasties, beginning with Adams and later the Roosevelts, Bushes and, briefly, the Clintons. But they all had to be elected, unlike their British counterparts. We do follow the Monarchy,, admire the Queen and accord some pomp and respect, and the Revolution was long ago.

Which serfs are you referring to, US slaves or yeomen and colonial subjects?

[compo]

I find Ben's seeming support for the feudal system somewhat surprising.

[BenThere]

You might be reading me wrong, as I support individual effort and accountability, which is not generally consonant with feudal values. Flowing from that, though, I also don't judge Britain's adherence to its Monarchy, even though today it is ceremonial for the most part. And I admire the Queen as well, in no small part for keeping Prince Charles off the throne, as well as for being classy through a few generations. But the bottom line is, UK is not my country, and I have no say in the matter, just as I insist on American independence, regardless of world opinion as expressed through the media.

The nice thing going for the British Empire is that they had no media to deal with, and Socialism had not yet been born when England ruled the waves.

[Pontius Navigator]

And Ben, you manage with far fewer Congressmen and Senators than we do Lords and MPs.

[ExSp33db1rd]

.......and Socialism had not yet been born when England ruled the waves.

but now they wave the Rules ?

[llondel]

The Lords, in general, see themselves more as a revising chamber, taking what the Commons produces and trying to make it work in the real world. Many of them have a day job and only turn up when something relevant to their field of expertise is on the order of business. There are exceptions to this, they will occasionally dig in and fight, but most of the time I think they're keenly aware of the calls to abolish them and try to take a reasoned approach. There are way too many of them, I think there should be a rule that imposes a limit on the number of ex-MPs allowed in the chamber for starters.

Then again, I've seen people who've slagged them off as an unelected body turn round and be thankful when that same body has blocked government legislation that the slagger was opposed to.

[Alisoncc]

Abolish the lot - absolutely not. I have every expectation of being elevated to the peerage any day now, and if you get rid of them I'll have no where to go.

Alison

[Sisemen]

I dream about putting the entire population of Manchester, and it's immediate surrounds, into permanent serfdom attending to the wishes of a far more intelligent wider community. Perhaps as night-cart operatives? They're pretty used to living in a **** environment and it would keep them in their place

[Krystal n Chips]

I dream about putting the entire population of Manchester, and it's immediate surrounds, into permanent serfdom attending to the wishes of a far more intelligent wider community. Perhaps as night-cart operatives? They're pretty used to living in a **** environment and it would keep them in their place

Would this dream by any chance result in some form of nocturnal emission ?

[Sisemen]

Only joking - I actually have some mates who are from Manchester. Some of them aren't actually further left than Stalin.

[Slasher]

I hope to get a peerage due to my unblemished services to the airline industry, and my dick. Both are long and distinguished with no black marks, bad reports nor wrinkles.

[Pontius Navigator]

Tough tit?

[Pontius Navigator]

I like the idea of limiting the number of ex-MP. Say equal number of Tiryr/Labour, others fixed total on cross benches. Work on one in one out.

[G-CPTN]

Following the abolition of the hereditary Peers, there should have been a strict control of the political appointments.
I am not averse to elevating a member of the public who has demonstrated a talent that would be deemed useful (!), but wholesale creation of 'numbers' to sway the political imbalance should not be allowed.