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MPs back all-elected Lords plans MPs back all-elected Lords plans
(10 minutes later)
MPs have voted to reform the House of Lords by demanding all members are elected, rather than appointed.MPs have voted to reform the House of Lords by demanding all members are elected, rather than appointed.
There was a majority of 113 in favour of this proposal.There was a majority of 113 in favour of this proposal.
MPs, allowed more than one choice, also voted by a majority of 38 for 80% of members of a reformed second chamber being elected and 20% appointed. MPs, allowed more than one choice, also voted by a majority of 38 for 80% of members of a reformed second chamber being elected and the rest appointed.
The decisions will not pass into law but are expected to inform government plans. Commons leader called the votes "a historic step forward". The decisions will not pass into law but are expected to inform government plans. Commons leader Jack Straw called the votes "a historic step forward".
Mr Straw had put forward nine options for reform, with the rest rejected by MPs.Mr Straw had put forward nine options for reform, with the rest rejected by MPs.
Long debateLong debate
Prime Minister Tony Blair voted in favour of a 50/50 split between elected and appointed members, but not for any other proposal. Prime Minister Tony Blair voted in favour of a 50/50 split between elected and appointed members - also Mr Straw's preferred choice - but not for any other proposal.
LORDS REFORM VOTING All appointed house - rejected by 179 votes20% elected - rejected, no vote40% elected - rejected, no voteHalf elected/half appointed - rejected by 263 votes60% elected - rejected by 214 votes80% elected - backed by 38 votesAll elected - backed by 113 votesLORDS REFORM VOTING All appointed house - rejected by 179 votes20% elected - rejected, no vote40% elected - rejected, no voteHalf elected/half appointed - rejected by 263 votes60% elected - rejected by 214 votes80% elected - backed by 38 votesAll elected - backed by 113 votes
The MPs' decisions follow two days of debate in the Commons.The MPs' decisions follow two days of debate in the Commons.
The last time the Commons voted on Lords reform, Mr Straw backed plans for a wholly appointed upper house. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "This is a truly historic occasion.
He told MPs he had initially thought an elected second chamber would "undermine" the primacy of the Commons, but had changed his mind. "After nearly 100 years the House of Commons has at last taken the momentous step to reform the upper house and make it fit for a modern democracy.
Conservative policy director Oliver Letwin said: "There are some people in this House who are concerned about the matter - my point is the 60 million people out there (who) couldn't care less about the primacy of anything, particularly the House of Commons." "This is a famous victory for progressive opinion both in Parliament and in the country."
Most Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs are thought to have favoured the 80% elected and all-elected options. The last time the Commons voted on Lords reform, all options were rejected.
This time, most Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs are thought to have favoured the 80% elected and all-elected options.
REFORM PROPOSALS A 'hybrid' of elected and appointed peersReduce size of House from 746 to 540 membersEnd hereditary and life peerages over timeElected peers to be voted in at same time as Euro electionsMaximum time in office of 15 years for elected and appointed peersAppointees a mixture of party politicians and non-party figuresLords may be renamed - possibly 'The Reformed Chamber'Anglican bishops and archbishops to keep seats Plans at-a-glance Full text of White PaperREFORM PROPOSALS A 'hybrid' of elected and appointed peersReduce size of House from 746 to 540 membersEnd hereditary and life peerages over timeElected peers to be voted in at same time as Euro electionsMaximum time in office of 15 years for elected and appointed peersAppointees a mixture of party politicians and non-party figuresLords may be renamed - possibly 'The Reformed Chamber'Anglican bishops and archbishops to keep seats Plans at-a-glance Full text of White Paper
Lib Dem constitutional affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said: "The House of Commons hasn't just made a decision. It has made a very clear decision indeed."
At the moment all peers are appointed, apart from the 92 hereditary peers who survived the first phase of Lords reform during Tony Blair's first term in office.At the moment all peers are appointed, apart from the 92 hereditary peers who survived the first phase of Lords reform during Tony Blair's first term in office.
In another vote, MPs decided by a majority of 280 to remove the remaining hereditaries.In another vote, MPs decided by a majority of 280 to remove the remaining hereditaries.
The Scottish National Party's chief whip, Pete Wishart, said: "Party patronage is now at an end and that can only be good for our democracy."
The House of Lords debates the reform proposals next week.The House of Lords debates the reform proposals next week.
Labour peer Lord Lipsey has published figures suggesting £1,092m as the cost for the proposed shake-up.Labour peer Lord Lipsey has published figures suggesting £1,092m as the cost for the proposed shake-up.
He said he used official figures and plausible assumptions to reach the estimate, but a government source dismissed that figure as based on "back-of-an-envelope calculations".He said he used official figures and plausible assumptions to reach the estimate, but a government source dismissed that figure as based on "back-of-an-envelope calculations".