Posted by Lidgey on Monday, 19 February 2007 01:00:30

Sounds good to me and, as a taxpayer, cheaper too.

Posted by monad on Monday, 19 February 2007 08:14:57

Do we need all the MPs and Lords? What we need is a direct democracy supported by elected MPs who ensure that any law that is passed is consistent with any fundamental rights (part of the constitutional framework - implicit or explicit). This way we can all vote according the law that is being passed so if it covers the whole country we all do it. If it just covers Scotland then people who live in Scotland vote for etc...

Posted by Graham on Monday, 19 February 2007 14:13:36

Kenny:

The point about the Lords is that they are *not* an elected body, so they can (or, at least, should) vote according to their consciences and opinions on the laws that are being proposed, rather than having to worry about "if I support this law, will people vote for me at the next election"?

Ok, this has been abused in the past (Lords being wheeled into the Upper House from their sickbeds by the Party Whips in order to force a vote through), but an elected upper chamber would just get bogged down in all the politicking that causes problems in the Commons.

Posted by Votedave on Monday, 19 February 2007 20:52:35

No. The Scottish and Welsh parliaments should be abolished.

Posted by physics911comfan on Monday, 19 February 2007 21:16:33

Devolution worked for at least 5,000 years before the acts of union