Nomination Of Peers

EDM number 818 in 1999-00, proposed by Tony Benn on 08/06/2000.

That this House, notes that new creations to the House of Lords, following the recent reforms, will be persons nominated by the Prime Minister of the day without any democratic element or accountability; recalls that it has long been the practice of the House to recommend to the Crown in a Humble Address that retiring Speakers should be granted peerages, creating a precedent for a wider reform that gives this House authority to act in these matters; believes that any legitimate second chamber must be based upon election rather than patronage but recognises that such a system may take some time to introduce; resolves that until such a democratic chamber has been established, no persons shall be put forward for peerages unless and until a list of those so recommended has been submitted to the House of Commons for its approval on a formal motion; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to follow this practice forthwith and place before the House the names of all those whom it wishes to recommend for creation as peers before such recommendations are made to the Crown.

This motion has been signed by a total of 47 MPs.