Many people are unhappy about the fact that Lord Mandelson was able to become the second most powerful man in the government despite being an unelected peer. But if Lord Adonis, the transport secretary – another unelected cabinet minister – were to have his way, ministers could serve in government without being a member of the House of Commons or the House of Lords.
Adonis was asked about this issue this morning when giving evidence to the Commons public administration committee. As I wrote in a blog earlier this year, there seems to be growing support for the idea that non-parliamentarians should be able to serve as ministers – John Major and Douglas Hurd have come out in favour – and the committee is considering the proposal as part of its inquiry into "ministerial and other appointments from outside parliament".
In the hearing, Tory MP Charles Walker asked Adonis if he could see any merit in getting rid of "this peerage nonsense" and moving towards a US-style system where members of the executive did not have to sit in the legislature.
This is how Adonis replied:
Do I think that would be a worthwhile reform? My personal view is yes. I think it would be thoroughly worthwhile to make it possible to bring people into government who aren't members of either house, provided that they are properly accountable. So there would need to be proper arrangements in place in this house and in the House of Lords for them to take questions. But I'm also a constitutional historian who knows that this medieval constitution of ours changes very, very slowly and I think it would take a huge effort to bring about change. And I imagine that the Commons collectively and the Lords collectively would be opposed, because it would breach the closed shop in both places.
As far as I'm aware, he's the first cabinet minister to say this. For the reasons Adonis gave, it's unlikely to happen, although David Cameron is reportedly interested in appointing "temporary" peers to serve in his government.
There was one other particularly noteworthy exchange in the first hour of the hearing (which was still going on when I left). Lord West of Spithead, the former first sea lord who became a security minister, criticised General Sir Richard Dannatt for deciding to take a post in David Cameron's team. West, of course, took a job in Gordon Brown's team, but he did so 14 months after leaving the navy and he did not become a defence minister. There have been suggestions that Cameron does want to make Dannatt a defence minister. West said that would be a "terrible error".
I don't think that would have been appropriate at all ... I think it would be wrong to do that. I would have been thoroughly hacked off if I was first sea lord, or any of the chiefs of staff, to find West suddenly lobbed in as a minister ... Dannatt is a superb officer, a splendid man who wears his heart on his sleeve. I think he made an error of judgment ... I think he will regret that.
