Interesting Links for 20-11-2022

[andrewducker]

1. Labour plans to abolish the House of Lords

(tags:labour houseoflords reform politics )

2. How to build your own living sphinx (I probably shouldn't do this with Jim)

(tags:cats sand video )

Comments

[rhythmaning]

I agree the current situation needs fixing!

But a second house, providing reflective scrutiny, would still improve legislation. Even if a lot of people vote for them, idiots writing laws would still be idiots!

[andrewducker]

Why does it need to be a separately elected group of representatives to do this, and assuming PR, what would lead them to come to different conclusions?

[rhythmaning]

I'm not certain that it does need to be a separate chamber. I accept the point (I think you made it!) earlier that a committee system, properly constituted, should be able to apply sufficient scrutiny.

But - and this is just a feeling! - having a second house on a different political cycle may remove poitical pressure from the legislative scrutiny. I'm not sure that a committee system would be seen as sufficiently independent.