House of Lords "A National Embarrassment Ripe for Abolition"
HOUSE OF LORDS “A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT RIPE FOR ABOLITION”
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS ‘SCANDAL OF THE SILENT PEERS’
SNP Patricia Gibson MP has said that the House of Lords is a “national embarrassment” and that those peers who turn up for an hour and claim £300 daily allowance without saying a word in any debates should be the first to be “shown the door.”
The comments follow the report from the Electoral Reform Society which outlines what they describe as the “scandal of silent peers,” referring to over 100 peers who failed to even speak in debates but claimed between them over a million pounds in expenses in the year 2016-2017.
The report also identifies a “something for nothing” culture in the upper House where total expenses have rocketed by a full 20% in just two years. The Tories and Labour continue to increase the size of the House of Lords, stuffing it with cronies and party funders.
Patricia Gibson MP said:
“The Electoral Reform Society has done us a massive favour by shining a light into the darker recesses of this parliamentary circus. The public should be appalled that these unelected ‘lobby fodder Lords’ can claim £300 a day just for turning up, even if it is only for an hour. The place is a national embarrassment ripe for abolition.
“The 115 silent Lords who haven't said a word in the last year should be the first to be shown the door, quickly followed by the rest.
“The SNP has long called for the House of Lords to go and we refuse to appoint SNP peers. It is ludicrous that this archaic chamber – accountable to no one – should be able to decide the laws of the land and despite overwhelming public opposition, the taxpayer is forced to foot a bill of millions each year to pay for it.
"This is an issue that has been dragging on for decades with little or no reform under either Labour or the Tories. These findings make it time for the end of the peer show. It is time for it to go, once and for all.’’
Electoral Reform Society report “Scandal of silent peers revealed” will be published on Thursday 21st September.
