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The ability of legislators in the House of Lords to delay or bar legislation agreed by elected legislators may be restricted after the next general election, according to report in the Financial Times. Valerie Amos, Leader of the House of Lords, told the newspaper that the government had not decided whether the curbs should be voluntary or statutory.

Ms. Amos (known by the feudal title of Baroness Amos under Britain’s official system of class deference) justified the codification of the legislators’ powers by citing cases in which the current legislators-for-life had frustrated the decisions of elected legislators, and the government’s lack of a majority in the unelected house. However the restrictions would be introduced in tandem with legislation that would introduce indirection elections for seats in the second legislative chamber.

06:21 PM | | (0) | (17286)

The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the former British colony in the Pacific, has announced that the country is to consider becoming a republic, removing the British queen Elizabeth Windsor as its head of state. The 11, 000 people of Tuvalu will first be consulted on whether a referendum should be held to decide whether to end the link with Britain's feudal institution.

06:52 PM | | (0) | (0)

An election is underway to fill a vacant seat in Britain's legislature. The only citizens allowed to vote in the House of Lords election are Conservative legislators-for-life. The only citizens permitted to stand for election are hereditary "Lords." Under current law the winning candidate will be a legislator until she or he dies.

09:01 PM | | (0) | (0)

Multimillionaire Irvine Laidlaw has agreed to end his tax exile of 22 years and live in Britain in return for a life seat in the legislature, according to the Financial Times. In a statement to the newspaper he said that he "would not have become a resident if it were not for the" legislative appointment. Under current law, as a legislator-for-life Mr. Laidlaw will be free to attend Parliament and vote as he chooses for as long as he chooses.

Mr. Laidlaw is one of five new legislators nominated by the Conservative Party and approved by the Lords Appointments Commission. Three of them have given more than £2m to the party in the last three years.

Labour Party donors are also prominent amongst the 46 legislators newly appointed without election by the people. According to the newspaper they "appear to have gained their seats (in Parliament) . . . as a reward for - in varying combinations - cash donations, political loyalty and public service." One told the Financial Times that it was "ridiculous" to say that he had bought his seat in the legislature. The new legislators include trade union officials as well as wealthy business people.

07:29 PM | | (0) | (0)