Labour set to u-turn on plans to abolish Lords in first term – report
Major plans for social care reform will not be included in Labour’s manifesto, according to reports, with House of Lords reform also potentially set to be scaled back.
A report in The Observer claimed that Sir Keir Starmer will avoid offering a detailed plan on the long-neglected reform of social care, amid fears of Tory attacks ahead of the next general election.
The complex issue is hugely political sensitive, with politicians long accused by those in the sector of failing to grasp the issue properly.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, in a post on social media, said it was “simply not true that social care will not be in our manifesto”.
New deal
Speaking at Labour’s party conference last week, Mr Streeting said his party would offer a “new deal” for care workers.
“A workforce plan to address recruitment and retention, the professional status these remarkable people deserve, and the first ever fair pay agreement for care professionals.
“The first step on our 10-year plan for a National Care Service.”
The paper also reports that Sir Keir will u-turn on plans to abolish the House of Lords within a first term of a new Labour administration.
The plans, unveiled last December after work by former prime minister Gordon Brown, would replace the Lords with a democratic assembly of nations and regions.
But The Observer reports that the party is moving away from plans to make it a priority and will instead look at alternatives, including caps on the number of peers and empowering the appointments body to prevent “inappropriate” people being granted peerages.
Lord Speaker Lord McFall has in the past argued his chamber is too large and should be reduced but is pushing for reform rather than replacement.
It comes as both Labour and the Conservatives prepare for a bitter election battle, with a poll required to be held before January 2025.
A Labour spokesman said the party would not comment on the speculation.
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Here we go……
It would take all the time of the first two years of the new parliament.I know you think that Starmer has just got a vote in the HoC,but it is much more complicated than that.And just to be clear I will probably vote for your lot,although without much conviction.
Again and Again
send for Alice in Wonderland
I’d lost touch on what Starmer had u-turned on already and thought reading this headline that Lords abolition was back on again.
Lords does have some excellent minds. Unfortunately Boris also polluted the waters and sullied the place. We dont need to be having a go at KS fror this, rather remind our selves that the likes of Mone, Hannan, Cruddas and they tried to shoe horn in Dacre, (daily mail) and put the son of a Russian spy in the Lords. What KS does should not be the story here. Abolishing the Lords is a bad idea without a suitable foil for the HoC in place first. De lord and lady it I can agree with. Cut the likes of Mone… Read more »
Watch out He’ll be U -turning on many other more important matters . Best move on the Lords short term is block any more new appointments then work out a scheme for transition to elected upper house. Course I won’t be voting in those elections cos we’ll have our own independent Senedd here in Wales elected on a fair democratic method.
There’s so much amiss that needs fixing in this backwards country, that Labour can’t even be bothered with, apart from a bit of peripheral tinkering, like getting rid of the hereditary seats in the upper chamber. Peering further into the so-called ‘House of Lords’, this assembly shares with that beacon of enlightened progress – the Islamic Republic of Iran – the reserving of seats in a legislative assembly for England’s state religion.
Even our more “progressive ” politicians go weak at the knees when there’s a hint of “elevation to the Upper House”. That phrase makes me want to puke.
Quite. Even ‘progressive’ politicians have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.
I remember seeing a change.org petition about removing the CofE bishops from the House of Lords, I think it was promoted by Sandi Toksvig and others, I thought they have a point, but decided not to sign as I wasn’t OK with just getting rid of the bishops and leaving the rest of the rotten system of patronage intact. At least the Bishops are theoretically bound to act according to conscience, so should on average be better than a typical flunky/donor made a peer. The advantage of having politicians get elevated to the House of Lords, is it allows political… Read more »