Oh goody, it’s going to be the Supreme Court justices all over again, isn’t it? Both parties pushing the limits of how many life peers they can cram in.
I can see it now, installing young-ish people who you have just enough dirt on to keep in line for the rest of their lives in the chamber.
Say hello to the new government, same as the old government.
Eh? Wasn’t the plan to abolish?
They may not be able to actually push through Lords reforms without packing the Lords in the first place.
There is a convention that Lords shouldn’t block manifesto promises, but Tories wipe their arses with conventions.
Generous interpretation: even if abolishing it is a top priority, it’s going to take years to actually come to fruition. If you’re abolishing it anyway you might as well take the piss and stuff it full of allies to make the last run an easy one; it’s not like it matters if it’s all gone soon.
Less generous interpretation: that priority is going to get pushed right down the list to “some time never”, just like it did the last time…
We really need electoral reform - enough of parties getting big majorities in the commons and stuffing the lords with supporters.
Even starting with proportional representation in local elections would be a game changer. Although the tories got rid of it in London to increase their chances of winning the mayoralty.
The best outcome in the next election is a hung parliament with Labour depending on the Lib Dems for a majority, and the Lib Dems forcing through electoral reform. No referendums, no more dicussion. They should do what all the other parties do and say “parliament is supreme and our manifesto was clear”.
I also try to dissuade people from thinking their two options are two sides of the same coin by… checks notes… doing the same as the other side.
