Sir Keir Starmer open to consulting former PMs Tony Blair and Gordon Brown
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ir Keir Starmer has stated he needs to seek the advice of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, whereas not ruling out House of Lords roles for the previous prime ministers to serve a Labour authorities.
Speaking to Matt Chorley on Times Radio about Labour’s plans for the House of Lords, Sir Keir stated he “of course” needs to speak to the Labour grandees about shifting into authorities.
On Wednesday it was revealed the celebration is planning to extend the variety of Labour friends to push by coverage if it varieties a authorities, regardless of pledging to abolish the higher home within the first time period of a Labour administration.
Sir Keir stated: “There is a mismatch at the moment, we’ve got far less peers than the Conservatives and obviously we’ve got to get the business of government through, but this is not some developed plan, I’ve not discussed it with anyone.”
Asked by Chorley whether or not he wished to inform Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to “get in the house of Lords, do your bit,” Sir Keir stated: “What I do want to do is take advice from people who know what they’re talking about.
“What I’m trying to do is get the Labour party from a terrible election defeat in 2019, what will be 13 or 14 years in opposition, into government.
“So, do I want to talk to Tony Blair and to Gordon Brown, who were the last leaders that achieved that switch from opposition into government for a Labour party? Of course I do.”
“Not actually about the substance of particular policies, but more about the framework, the approach, pace.
“So much has changed in 25 years that a policy discussion wouldn’t be the right one, but it is about understanding how does a party go from years in opposition into power, hopefully and into government.”
On Wednesday Sir Keir’s spokesperson stated the celebration might introduce “interim reforms” earlier than changing the Lords with a brand new elected chamber in a primary time period.
The spokesman stated: “Every government when they first come into power do not have a majority within the House of Lords because of the nature of the appointments process.
“And every government as a matter of custom and practice looks to make appointments to the House of Lords but it’s not something that’s done in one fell swoop, it’s something that takes time and often takes more than a term in government for that to happen.”
He stated new Labour friends can be anticipated to again abolition, with the complete particulars of the coverage to be set out forward of the following basic election.
There are at the moment 779 members within the Lords, with 263 Tory members and 174 Labour.
Sir Keir’s spokesman instructed reforms might happen earlier than full abolition, similar to eliminating by-elections for the remaining hereditary friends.
He stated: “There may be interim reforms along the way, I’m not ruling that out.”
In December Sir Keir unveiled plans led by Gordon Brown to exchange the Lords with a democratic meeting of countries and areas.
He advised BBC Breakfast: “I think the House of Lords is indefensible.
“Anybody who looks at the House of Lords would struggle to say that it should be kept.
“So we want to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with an elected chamber that has a really strong mission.”