Government unveils Lords reform plans
The government has unveiled its long-awaited Lords reform plans, proposing cutting the number of peers to 540. MPs will choose - probably in early March - between seven options for reform, based on different proportions of elected and appointed peers. Instead of going through the division lobbies, MPs will indicate their preferences in order on a ballot paper using the Alternative Vote system. The White Paper does not detail how peers might be elected, but Jack Straw said elections were likely to take place at the same time as the European elections and to be based on an "open" list. The White Paper does not propose removing bishops from the Lords.
7 Feb 2007
