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<\/source><\/p>\nCritics said the house – which has around 800 members, dwarfing the House of Commons’ 650 MPs – has become bloated and expensive. Daily allowances for members are a staggering £323 per day – although this has been halved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
And now a new report has revealed the house is disproportionately filled with members from London, the south-east and east of England.<\/p>\n
Willie Sullivan, Senior Director at the Electoral Reform Society, said the House of Lords was at the heart of “constitutional crisis at Westminster”.<\/p>\n
He added: “Voters deserve so much better than a publicly-funded private member’s club packed to the hilt with party donors and allies.<\/p>\n
“The Lords totally failing to reflect the diversity of knowledge and experience in this country, and the time is now for root-and-branch change.<\/p>\n
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“These new figures shine a light on the pressing need for reform.<\/p>\n
“Westminster looks desperately outdated and warped, and the unelected second chamber plays a big role in this.”<\/p>\n
Mr Sullivan stressed the Prime Minister must “heed these calls for change.”<\/p>\n
He added: “A majority of voters across parties want to see a proportionally-elected second chamber which could truly help level up the whole UK.<\/p>\n
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“There is an opportunity to drag politics into the 21st century, and start to tackle the dire political inequality.<\/p>\n
“For the PM, such a move might shape a union that people really want to be a part of.”<\/p>\n
The SNP backed the Society in abolishing the chamber with Nationalist politicians putting pressure for urgent reform.<\/p>\n
George Adam, Nationalist MSP for Paisley told Express.co.uk: “We all know these unelected Lords are living the high life at the taxpayers expense.<\/p>\n
DON’T MISS: <\/strong> “It’s time to put the brakes on this gravy train and abolish the House of Lords.”<\/p>\n The Electoral Commission’s new report also revealed more than half of the 800 Peers live in the South East, East of England or London<\/p>\n The investigation found 56 percent or 216 peers were based there, raising concerns the chamber failed to fairly represent the devolved nations or UK regions.<\/p>\n The figures further revealed just 8 percent of Lords were from Scotland, with Scottish Tory MSP Ruth Davidson the most recent appointee.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The report further reveals 3.1 percent live in the West Midlands and 4.5 percent in the North West. <\/b><\/p>\n In terms of gender, 72 percent of Lords are male and 54 percent of Lords are aged over 70, whilst only a 37.9 percent of Lords have a background in politics. <\/b><\/p>\n Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed 52 new peers in 2020, a move which raised the concern of Lord Speaker Norman Fowler.<\/p>\n 2020 appointees include Brexiteer former MEP Daniel Hannan, and Chair of Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign Jennifer Chapman. <\/b><\/p>\n A House of Lords spokesman said the House of Lords was a “highly effective and busy Chamber, performing a vital role of improving legislation and holding the Government to account.”<\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/p>\nBrexit: House of Lords ‘out to thwart’ process says Redwood<\/h3>\n