Arise Lord Sugar of Clapton!
Yes another one joins the House of Lords for life. Alan Sugar is yet one more Labour appointed member of the Upper House pushing the number of peers well beyond the 700 mark.
On the very day that Justice Secretary Jack straw announced modest ideas for reform, Sugar’s arrival made no mention and paid no regard to the claim that the House of Lords is about to be reformed.
If it is being reformed why continue to put people in there for life who will have a casting vote on their own removal and will almost certainly cost money to dispose of ahead of any wholesale reform?
Any examination of Labour’s ‘plans’ for the House of Lords reveals almost no desire to produce much beyond a wholly appointed chamber. Indeed the Tory leader in the Lords Lord, Tom Strathclyde has said as much.
Recently the surviving 91 hereditary peers held an election to replace one of their dead members. Old Etonian, Lord Bledisloe was voted out by the grim reaper, Lord Aberdare (5th generation), also an Old Etonian was voted in with a majority of 27. We are not allowed to know how many of the 91 hereditary peers voted.
Jack Straw wants rid of the hereditary peers, not in an overnight coup, but by ending these elections. Some of these men and women are in their thirties and forties, so it could take half a century to get them out.
David Cameron has described Lords reform for the Tory’s as a “third term priority”. For Labour it is not even proving a fourth term priority.
This is UKPLC in the 21st Century. The message from the political classes seems to be that the problems in the House of Commons are bad enough without knocking the hallowed House of Lords about.
Pull one brick out and the whole lot may come down.
Related posts:
- Is it time to give the lords a peer review?
- Life still means life in the House of Lords
- Constitutional reform: questions for Mr Brown
- Lords' expenses: it's a wonderful life
- Dishonoured honourables and the honours to come
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Sugar is a special case – he is a friend of Gordons and has to get something in return for the positive PR Gordon hopes to get from having him work as a tsar. It is a sorry state when game show hosts start trying to act as politicians in the Lords and as tsars but if that is all Gordon can persuade then I guess we are stuck until the next election – but of course Sugar keeps his reward.
But then it was not long ago that it was being reported that his joining the Lords was on hold pending a Bullying and Sex Discrimination case (hearing scheduled for the Autumn). http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/sir+alan+not+quite+hired/3244362
Before we think of restructuring the House Of Lords it might be prudent to see what has been achieved by individual members. Was it achieved by negative competition? was it achieved by creating something new? was a policy initiated and enforced which improved the lives of many?
Is it impossible for anyone to think out of categories these days?
e.g. If an heredtary peer says something . it must be bad.. If an elected member who has battled his way to the top ,by stamping on his opponents says something ,it must be of value.mmmmmmm.
Hi Margaret,
You’ve asked a lot of questions. Can you offer any answers?
I wish that brick WAS pulled out – today.
A radical refurbishment is needed, not just plastic padding and a splash of magnolia paint to cover.
If Lord Sugar is now in, how long before Lord Ant & Lord Dec enter the doors of this ancient, dusty, red chamber?
Hi Britt_W . What do you mean?
It’s pathetic.
Lord Sugar, the epitome of old style capitalism, is enobled by the Labour party.
Meanwhile Blairites Milburn and Parnell, having been sidelined, suddenly discover their left wing credentials. How come they didn’t have them when they were in power?
Cameron is no doubt scouting through the books of Eton old boys to see how many he can get to dance on the head of a pin and reward with lucrative jobs when he gets into No 10.
And the MPs are on holiday until 12 October.
They really do think we are all daft.
Hi Saltaire Sam,
‘It’s pathetic’ What do you mean? What’s pathetic?
I don’t think that Lord Sugar is ‘the epitome of old style capitalism.
Alan Sugar was enobled by Gordon Brown PM, not the Labour Party.
James Purnell resigned. Purnell appears to have voted with his political integrity intact.
David Cameron, in my opinion, will be looking to enlist fresh young Conservatives that will be viable and electable.
I don’t reckon that he will be looking any further to poach Etonions, young or old.
To address your last statement, perhaps you can urge people to vote?
How about Lord Eric Clapton of Guitar?
He’ll get my vote anytime!
I am sending my *congrats* to Lord Sugar of Clapton….
~Dennis Junior~