A House of Cronies that’s ripe for a cull

WHAT a sorry, bloated mess the House of Lords has become.

Already, this house of cronies, placemen and failed politicians is the second biggest legislature in the world – behind only the National People’s Congress, in Communist China.

But, as we report today, David Cameron is preparing to stuff it with at least 30 more peers – many of who, with depressing predictability, are big party donors.

Meanwhile, the shameless Lib Dems – who are supposed to object to the Lords on principle – are seeking up to ten new peers, despite being reduced to only eight MPs! The Mail has some sympathy with the Prime Minister. The Tories do not currently have a majority in the Lords and, without further appointments, vital bills could be delayed or killed off.

Yet, by seeking to solve this problem by ennobling more wealthy party donors, he risks a toxic new cash-for-honours row that will only reinforce the damaging view that his is a party of the wealthy and privileged.

That Mr Cameron is clashing with the senior civil service over the probity of handing out so many peerages to people on whom his party is financially reliant only increases the whiff of scandal.

Surely, it would be far more politically astute to address the imbalance in the Lords with an urgent cull of existing members – starting with the criminals, expenses cheats and disengaged peers who no longer attend. Most crucially, an independent appointments system must be introduced which is not the plaything of politicians looking to scratch donors’ backs or provide a consolation prize to MPs booted out by the electorate.

Choosing the wisest and best from all the sectors that make up our national life – business, science, medicine, academia, engineering and journalism – would create an upper house of indispensable knowledge from people who have lived in the real world.

Inflating it with still more donors will only further harm the reputation of a fetid second chamber which – from cocainesnorting Lord Sewel to ongoing expenses rackets – could hardly sink any lower.