Reform concerns

Published on 06/08/2012 00:00

Your latest editorial castigating the Tory rebels and Labour opportunists for rejecting Nick Clegg’s proposed House of Lords reforms (4 August) continues to ignore completely the substance of these proposals.

These are a dog’s breakfast in themselves, leading to constitutional confusion with the Commons’ mandate, and – incredibly – based on a 15-year term. In other words, they are a worthy successor to the botched devolution “settlement” leaving the West Lothian question unanswered, Blair’s attempt to abolish the Lord Chancellorship, and the automatic adoption of European Union legislation and European Court interpretations into UK law.

Such major constitutional change needs above all to be well-founded. Were Clegg to introduce really radical and sensible reforms for an elected revising chamber, comprising mature persons of experience from manufacturing, construction, service industries; health, agriculture and fishing; finance and the professions; education and trade unions; culture; military etc, then he might be surprised at the support he receives.

John Birkett

Horseleys Park

St Andrews, Fife