On August 11th it will be Lords Reform Day. 95 years ago on this date was the Parliament Act 1911 which received Royal assent. The preamble of which states:

"it is intended to substitute for the House of Lords as it at present exists a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis, but such substitution cannot be immediately brought into operation."

The desire to create an elected chamber has been knocking about British politics for a while then, but surprisingly, nothing has been done. (Maybe it’s all those rich peers or something…)

When Tony Blair first came to power, he was seen as a force for change and progression. Part of this was his project of constitutional reform including devolution of Scotland and Wales and Lords Reform.

There have been slight moves to reform the Lords including introducing elected peers, but these are still only elected by MPs.

The basic premise of a second chamber is democratically kosher-no one could disagree with that-but unelected hereditary peers in a democratic country is incredibly anachronistic. As charter 88 note, the cash for peerage row has speeded up calls for change and whatever the reasons, the Lords desperately needs reform.

yep,this is TOTALLY representative of British society..now where's my sceptre?

British society is unrecognisable from the early beginnings of Westminster. An unelected chamber of wealth is no longer acceptable. The house of commons was named as it housed “commoners” even this seems outdated- being the Oxbridge playground that it is.

The Lords should be reformed, and Tony Blair should not forget his early election pledge of constitutional reform.

Elect the Lords Campaign,Charter 88 and many other organisations are working to get lords reform back on the political agenda. So please go to their sites, sign the online pledge, contact your MP, talk to your friends, write to your local paper, put it on your blog. For a country that is currently embedded in a good few wars over “democracy” not to practice what it preaches (ie directly elected, accountable members of parliament) is despicable.