Retired MPs prove far from retiring
They may not be elected themselves, but few things get members of the House of Lords steamed up more than elections.
The Lords staged a marathon two-day debate on plans to change the way MPs are elected - and to cut the size of the House of Commons.
No fewer than six retired Welsh MPs contributed to the debate on the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill. Lords Elystan-Morgan, Jones, Howarth of Newport, Anderson of Swansea, Touhig, and Roberts of Conwy spoke, at varying lengths, during the course of the two days.
Monday's debate didn't finish until gone midnight. Most Welsh contributions were on one side of the argument, criticising the proposed cut of 25 per cent in the number of MPs from Wales.
Lord Touhig: "It will weaken the voice of Wales in Parliament and it will weaken the union - something I and many others have fought against all our political life....Lloyd George must be turning in his grave."
Lord Howarth warned of the impact on Wales but spoke against the alternative vote system.
Lord Anderson of Swansea spoke of the two Swansea seats and neighbouring Gower: "If the electoral quota is to be 76,000 we will have two and a half seats and how one divides a proud city, composed of a series of villages held together by gossip, into two and a half constituencies I do not know."
Lord (Barry as was) Jones: "To debit 10 seats from Wales's parliamentary account is unjust.......we are talking of Wales's parliamentary birthright....this is not the time to denude Wales of Westminster champions."
Liberal Democrat Lord Roberts of Llandudno has more experience of fighting elections than most peers - without noticeably winning any of them. But he is a campaigner for electoral reform and told peers: "Can I speak for the 20-odd million people whose votes are not influential in electing a Member of Parliament?"
I think he was referring to those who vote in safe seats although as someone who isn't allowed to vote in parliamentary elections he may have been thinking of those sitting alongside him on the red leather benches.
You can read day one of the debate and day two .
Hello. I'm David Cornock and I'm parliamentary correspondent for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales. This is the blog for the latest news and gossip from the Westminster village - with a Welsh accent.
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