Tom Gordon MP: “Time to end this patronage palace and abolish the House of Lords”
Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, handed a petition into Parliament last night calling on the government to abolish the House of Lords in its current form and replace it with a fully elected second chamber.
Backed by Liberal Democrat Councillor Graham Dixon, the petition highlights that the House of Lords, as an unelected chamber, lacks the democratic legitimacy expected of a modern parliament. Its reliance on appointments rather than elections undermines public confidence, weakens accountability, and erodes trust in the UK’s legislative system.
Speaking on his petition, Tom pointed out that the House of Lords continues to reward loyalty and connections under the guise of democracy, costing taxpayers £371 a day per peer, and remains a barrier to a fully democratic UK.
For these reasons, Tom is urging the government to replace the current chamber with a fully elected second chamber – one grounded in democratic principles, accountable to the public, and equipped to scrutinise legislation transparently and effectively.
Commenting, Tom said:
“For too long, peerages have been handed out as rewards for loyalty, donations and personal connections, undermining the very foundations of our democracy.
“An unelected chamber built on patronage has no place in a modern political system. It’s time to abolish the House of Lords as we know it and replace it with a fully elected second chamber – one that is democratic, accountable, and fit to scrutinise legislation properly.
“If we are serious about building a true democracy, the patronage palace must go.”
Graham Dixon, added:
“I have always thought that the House of Lords was unrepresentative, but the current practice where a ruling party appoints party supporters to force through their own legislation is totally undemocratic.
“We need to move urgently to an elected second chamber based on a system of proportional representation and fully accountable to the electorate.”