In Quotes: Lords reform plans

Commons leader Jack Straw has announced options for reforming the House of Lords, including cutting the number of peers and introducing elections to the house. MPs and peers have been reacting to his White Paper:

PM TONY BLAIR

I have always expressed concern about a hybrid House. However, in our manifesto, because we weren't able to resolve this issue in the last Parliament, we believed that it was right to try and seek consensus. I asked the Leader of the House to try and find that consensus. He has located it in the proposals that he has put forward. I will back those proposals.

CONSERVATIVE THERESA MAY

The Upper House has been a thorn in the side of this government by protecting ancient liberties like the right to trial by jury. It is crucial that any change leaves it even more capable of providing a check on the power of the executive. On this side of the House we want reform that strengthens Parliament. This proposal does not strengthen Parliament. It puts political parties even more in control of the Upper House and it risks losing the independence that has seen it defeat this government 415 times.

LIB DEM SIMON HUGHES

This is part of a reform agenda that began in 1911. Nobody can say that serious democratic reform of the second House of the British Parliament is not well overdue. Liberal Democrats have always been committed to a wholly or substantially elected second house. That remains our position. We will vote for at least 80% of the new second House to be elected. In the 21st century the only way that both Houses of Parliament can be legitimate is for them to be made up of people elected directly by the people.

LABOUR'S SIR GERALD KAUFMAN

When the manifesto on which [Jack Straw] and I were elected to this House two years ago said we will allow a free vote on the composition of the House, it did not go on to say that we will impose a three-line whip to force Labour members to accept an option that they do not wish to accept.

TORY MP PATRICK CORMACK, CAMPAIGN FOR AN EFFECTIVE SECOND CHAMBER

Speaking for the largest cross-party group in both houses...what he [Jack Straw] has proposed today is a constitutional outrage. Will he give everybody on his side of the House a free vote on this monstrous proposal for a football-coupon ballot.

FATHER OF THE HOUSE, ALAN WILLIAMS

I oppose a fully-elected House of Lords because I believe inevitably at some stage it will flex its democrat muscles and challenge this house. But that leaves us with a quandary because I think that is exactly what the government has recognised but isn't willing to say, and therefore we have retreated into hybridity. Hybridity may be the start of the process but it isn't sustainable in itself, because whatever the mix at the start - 20%, 50% or 80% - at some stage the elected majority in that house is going to be defeated by votes of the non-elected.

EX-TORY CHANCELLOR KEN CLARKE

In any other European democracy it would be regarded as absurd that any substantial number of the legislators in the Upper House of Parliament should be there by appointment by the prime minister, appointment by political parties, sale by the political parties or anybody else or appointment by an establishment quango discussing secretly who would be suitable.

CONSERVATIVE LORD STRATHCLYDE

This is a proud House. It doesn't deserve and will not brook another botched attempt at reform. Lords reform is like opening the door of Pandora's Box - who knows where debate might lead if there is no firm, guiding principle behind it. Exactly what problem is this package aiming to solve? Is the house too strong or too weak? Is the aim to enable us to defeat all governments with more legitimacy, or what? The White Paper lacks real clarity of purpose or principle.

LIB DEM LORD MCNALLY

We welcome this White Paper. There is no doubt now that as it stands the House is tainted by patronage, and that the status quo is not an option. I think Mr Straw is right to say that what will come forth in the end will be a compromise, but I do think that it is a genuine opportunity to move forward.

LABOUR LORD LIPSEY

Jack Straw's proposals would replace the present - admittedly appointed, but fairly expert - House of Lords with a pale clone of the House of Commons. I think that's a recipe for endless political wrangling and ultimately for deadlock.