Peers 'oppose Lords reforms'

An overwhelming majority of peers believe a constitutional crisis would emerge if the government forces through plans for a new elected Senate, according to a poll.

A survey for the Times newspaper found 80 per cent of peers oppose the introduction of a wholly or mainly elected upper chamber, despite the policy being a commitment in all three of the main parties’ manifestos.

Nearly 75 per cent of those surveyed believe it would be unconstitutional for ministers to use the Parliament Act to push through such proposals.

Under the coalition agreement, the government pledged to create an elected upper chamber by 2015.

The newspaper sent questionnaires to each of the 789 people entitled to sit in the Lords, despite just 400 being regular attendees.

310 peers responded, broadly in proportion to their parties' representation in the chamber.

80 per cent of those surveyed opposed a wholly or mainly elected upper chamber and 81 per cent believing the Lords works well in its current form.

It found Liberal Democrat peers were deeply split, with 64 per cent believing that the Lords works well, 46 per cent opposing a large elected element, and 54 per cent saying it would be unconstitutional to use the Parliament Act.

Convener of the cross-bench peers, Baroness D’Souza told the Times that legislating for a fully elected upper chamber would in effect be to abolish the Lords.

She said: "Then I think the use of the Parliament Act legally would be impossible."

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