Lord McFall, a former Labour MP, will advise against the creation of an elected second chamber, stating that voters are more concerned with health and education.
The Speaker of the House of Lords is expected to oppose Labour’s proposal to abolish the second chamber, arguing that converting it to a fully elected parliament would “raise fundamental issues.”
Sir Keir Starmer and former prime minister Gordon Brown launched the idea on Monday, insisting that a new Labour government would secure “the largest transfer of power out of Westminster and Whitehall in our country’s history.”
Lord McFall, a former Labor MP, thinks that the red benches must be reformed, but he will criticize the direction the party is headed.
He is concerned that it could “threaten both the balance of our constitution and the ability of the entire legislature to pass excellent and effective legislation.”
Later today, he is slated to deliver the following talk to the Hansard Society in Westminster: “The House of Lords must keep up with the times.
If not, it will decline, which is detrimental to our politics and democracy.
Lord McFall will urge that the chamber be made “smaller, more inclusive, and more representational of the entire United Kingdom.”
However, he will caution that the plans require support from across the political spectrum, stating that “past failed attempts at far-reaching transformation demonstrate that without consensus across parties, even the most meritorious measures may fail.”
In addition, the Speaker will assert that the electorate “makes decisions based on the issues that matter to them” rather than constitutional reform, adding, “While I believe that the future of the House of Lords is significant, I am not certain that it ranks above health, education, and the economy for the majority of voters.
