LORDS: GOING, GOING...GONG
After Cam crony row Corbyn vows to axe unelected upper chamber
DAVID Cameron’s honours cronyism has put “a nail in the coffin” of the House of Lords, says Jeremy Corbyn.
The Labour leader attacked gongs being handed out to allies of the ex-PM as “quite appalling”.
And he pledged to scrap the current system if he wins power, replacing the Lords with a fully elected upper chamber.
Answering questions sent in by Sunday Mirror readers, Mr Corbyn laid out plans for a total reform of the honours system.
He told us: “I want the House of Lords abolished and replaced by an elected upper chamber.
“There are now so many Tory peers being appointed that the House of Lords is the second largest chamber in the world after China.
“We have 800 members of the Lords, going on for more. That’s far too many. It’s far too big.”
Mr Corbyn revealed his plans in a Q&A in which he also talked about Brexit, the split in his own party and other serious issue, as well as light-hearted topics like his pet cat El Gato.
He outlined his Lords reforms in answer to a question from reader Martin Bentley, replying: “Cameron’s cronyism has been quite appalling.
“Honours appear to be linked to donations to political parties and personal service to members of his family.
“I would also say that serving politicians should not be given honours because it’s honour enough to be elected to public office.”
Among the most prominent names on Mr Cameron’s list are cabinet ministers Michael Fallon, Patrick McLoughlin and David Lidington, who all supported staying in the EU.
Other honours included an OBE for his wife Samantha’s stylist Isabel Spearman – described as a special adviser – and a knighthood for his former spin doctor Craig Oliver. Thea Rogers, an adviser credited with smartening up George Osborne’s image, got an OBE.
Mr Corbyn said: “Things like this are another nail in the coffin of the House of Lords.
“I want to see a more democratic system where communities recognise the work people do – working in a youth club, cleaning the street, home carers.
“The idea of gongs being given because you’ve donated to a party or you’ve been in an elected office is simply wrong.”
Corbyn was also embroiled in a Lords row after gifting Shami Chakrabarti a peerage soon after her probe into Labour anti-semitism found little case to answer in the party.
Theresa May has also said she plans to “restore trust” in politics by reforming the Lords.