FAQs
What 2003 vote are you referring to?
On 4 February 2003, Parliament was given a free vote on the future composition of the House of Lords following the publication of the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform, chaired by Jack Cunningham MP (now Lord Cunningham).
The Report proposed 7 different options for Lords reform:
- Fully appointed
- 20% elected / 80% appointed
- 40% elected / 60% appointed
- 50% elected / 50% appointed
- 60% elected / 40% appointed
- 80% elected / 20% appointed
- Fully elected
In the event, the House of Commons only voted on the last three options, rejecting the rest outright. It did however also vote on whether to abolish the House of Lords altogether.
After a dizzying series of votes, all the options would eventually be rejected. However, the 80% elected option fell by just 3 votes:
| Vote | For | Against |
| Abolition | 172 | 390 |
| 60% elected / 40% appointed | 253 | 316 |
| 80% elected / 20% appointed | 281 | 284 |
| Fully elected | 272 | 289 |
Many believe that the confusing way in which the vote was held was largely responsible for the inconclusive result. The then Leader of the Commons Robin Cook attempted to introduce a system of preferential system to ensure that a result could be reached, but he was blocked from doing so. “The technical development of a pencil and a piece of paper ... was far too big a step for our Parliament and its medieval procedures,” he later said.
What are EDM 571 and EDM 789?
MPs have a system for recording their views on topical issues called "Early Day Motions." These are written motions that individual MPs can lend their name in support for.
David Curry MP tabled an EDM 571 on behalf of the Elect the Lords campaign in the last Parliamentary session. This read:
That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to a free vote on the composition of Parliament's revising chamber; believes that the House of Lords should be replaced by a chamber which is predominantly elected; and believes that the Second Chamber of Parliament Bill, presented in February by the then honourable Member for North Cornwall, endorsed by the Right honourable Member for Livingston, the Right honourable Member for North West Hampshire, the Right honourable Member for Rushcliffe and the honourable Member for Cannock Chase, and supported by other leading Members of both Houses, provides a valuable basis for further discussion and decision.
138 MPs signed up to this statement. All current MPs were written to by Elect the Lords and asked to sign it.
David Chaytor MP tabled EDM 789 on behalf of the Elect the Lords campaign in this last Parliamentary session. It reads:
That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to a free vote on the composition of Parliament's revising chamber; believes that the House of Lords should be replaced by a chamber which is wholly or predominantly elected; notes that this idea has been supported by leading members of both Houses of Parliament; and therefore calls on all hon. Members to vote to achieve that result at the appropriate time.
This EDM is currently open and MPs still have the opportunity to add their names to it. If your MP has not signed it, please ask them to.
What is the Second Chamber of Parliament Bill?
This was a Bill drafted by a cross party group of MPs chaired by Paul Tyler (Liberal Democrat, now Lord Tyler) and also consisting of Robin Cook and Dr Tony Wright (both Labour) and Ken Clarke and Sir George Young (both Conservative). It proposed the following:
- A smaller second chamber, with 70% elected at every General Election in thirds for 10-12 year terms. The method of election would be the Single Transferable Vote system.
- All other members would be appointed by a statutory Independent Appointments Commission, except for a reduced number of Anglican Bishops and up to 4 people that the Prime Minister could appoint in each Parliament, who would be expected to serve as Government Ministers in the first instance.
Many of the elements proposed in the Second Chamber of Parliament Bill have been incorporated into the Government's White Paper.
What is an Elect the Lords supporter?
This is simply someone who has informed us that they support the aims of Elect the Lords and wish to be registered as a supporter. Anyone can sign up - even you. See the Elect The Lords website for more information.
