Peter Rhodes on Lords, Ladies and a perfect landing in a hot-air balloon
It emerged this week that ministers are planning to sack members of the House of Lords who fail to attend. The long-term aim, by weeding out the slothful and uninterested, is to reduce the size of the upper chamber from 830 to 650, the same as the House of Commons.
But why stop there? Might the UK be just as well served with 500 Lords? Or maybe a mere 100? This may seem like radical stuff yet perks should be earned and becoming a peer is one of the greatest perks that our democracy can award (£370 a day, free parking, subsidised meals, etc). Who can argue with a so-called “participation requirement” to reward the present and root out the absent?
When it comes to thinning out the peers, I share the view of the old farmer who, when asked how he would define 100 dead rabbits, replied: “A start.” PS. Before the hate speech brigade descend, may I stress that I am not in any way advocating the culling of Lords and Ladies by the use of 12-bore shotguns? Not yet, anyway.
