A report by the party’s former prime minister, Gordon Brown, proposes replacing the second chamber of parliament – the House of Lords – with a democratically elected body. The members have been appointed so far. Polls suggest Labor would win the general election scheduled for 2024 and replace the Conservative Party.
Party leader Keir Starmer supported the report on Monday. “The largest transfer of power from Westminster to the British to date is planned,” Starmer said. At the same time, he stressed that it was a “blueprint” that needs to be discussed now.
The report emphasizes that the aim is to regain confidence in politics. Among other things, part-time jobs for MPs will be banned. In addition, a decentralization of the London-oriented policy is planned by relocating authorities and a tenth of the civil servants to other cities. Economically weak regions, for example in the north of England, will be given more powers. The rights of the individual parts of the country are being expanded, also to curb independence efforts, as in Scotland.
Most spectacular is the call for radical reform of the House of Lords, whose members have been appointed to date. The House of Lords is “unsustainable” in this form, said former Prime Minister Brown. Referring to controversial appointments by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he stressed that there was a sense that many were members only because of their links with the Conservative Party and not because of their contributions to society. A democratically elected chamber representing the regions and parts of the country should replace the House of Lords.
(SDA)