Don’t let cronies bring down Lords

norMan Fowler is right: there are far too many cronies in the house of lords, people there not because they have a genuine passion for public service, but because at some point in their lives they brownnosed the right person.

But let’s not forget that among the stuffed ermines there are some very wise heads: ruth Deech, Paul Bew, Maurice glasman, richard Chartres, alexander trees (the only vet in Parliament, to my knowledge), to name but a few.

It would be a tragedy if those characters who appear to be most interested in having a fancy title to put on their notepaper were to bring down the entire edifice, and deprive us of the grownups who take the primary function of the lords, holding the increasingly unhinged Commons to account, very seriously indeed. yaChtS and fast cars were once the VDWs (vulgar displays of wealth) of choice for the super successful. now it’s something far more precious: children. no selfrespecting highachiever is complete without a brood that not only signals virility (him) and fertility (her), but ensures the world knows how many members of staff/bedrooms/sets of school fees they can afford.

hence the rise of the fivekid family: Jamie and Jools oliver, tana and gordon ramsay — and now Sophie ellisBextor and hubby richard Jones.

Come on, Posh and Becks (just the four), what are you waiting for!