CALLS for the House of Lords to be scrapped have been reignited following Nigel Farage’s demands to the Prime Minister to allow him to nominate Reform UK peers.
In a letter to Keir Starmer, Farage said that a “democratic disparity” in the Lords needed to be addressed. Reform has four MPs and controls 10 councils in England.
However, Farage’s claims of a “democratic disparity” have been called ironic as both the SNP and Scottish Greens have called the upper house “wholly undemocratic”.
George Adam (below), SNP MSP for Paisley, has called for the unelected House of Lords to be scrapped, but added that Westminster parties will never bite the hand that feeds them.
He said: “Nigel Farage talking about 'democratic disparity' in the House of Lords whilst completely ignoring the fact that the upper house is wholly undemocratic is somewhat ironic.
“The sooner the unelected House of Lords is scrapped the better, but it is clear that Westminster parties will never bite the hand that feeds them.
“It is only with independence that Scotland can escape this archaic institution for good.”
In his letter to the Prime Minister, first reported by the Times, Farage said: “Reform UK wishes to appoint life peers to the upper house at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Political appointments to the Lords are made at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who is under no constitutional obligation to elevate opposition figures but will sometimes ask other leaders to nominate individuals.
In December, Starmer appointed 30 new Labour peers, including his former chief of staff Sue Gray, despite previously saying during Labour’s general election campaign his party would look to introduce reforms to the House of Lords – including abolishing hereditary peerages.
Greens MSP, Maggie Chapman (below), has also called for the House of Lords to be abolished as she said no serious democracy can have a Chamber “stuffed with unelected cronies, donors and people with inherited titles”.
She said: “Reform is a toxic right-wing party that thrives on hatred and division. The idea of it being able to appoint peers with a job for life underlines how broken and unfit for purpose Westminster is.”
Chapman added: “Reform may pretend that it is there to change things, but it is just as keen to be a part of the club as Labour and the Tories.
“A democracy fit for the 21st century would abolish the House of Lords. Such an archaic relic has no place in the Scottish Greens’ vision for our future."
