It’s already well known that the initial proposals for the House of Lords – at least in the draft bill - are for only an 80 per cent elected upper chamber. The other 20 per cent would still be appointed. Nick Clegg is also proposing 100 per cent, in a parallel white paper, and hopes that he can get consensus to switch the 80 to 100 in time.
But this still ignores the fact that there will be 12 bishops in the senate (or whatever it will be called), which many people will see as an anachronism.
Also, it has just emerged in the chamber, prime ministers will retain the right to appoint unelected people into the senate as ministers, in the way that Gordon Brown plucked the likes of Digby Jones and Lord Darzai and gave them seats in Parliament. They will only remain peers for the duration of their time in government, however.
Incidentally, Clegg is making a good fist of his speech, although many of his comments are being booed or jeered in the chamber; a prelude to the anti-reform resistance he will meet from both sides of the House of Commons.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey