Member

I have little doubt that the calls for election, or even abolition, as we have heard from Mr Farage—although he seems to change his policy from time to time—will grow. As the noble Lord, Lord Newby, reminded us, 22 other free democracies have directly or indirectly elected bicameral parliaments, and they do not seem to have huge problems; 48 do not bother with a second chamber at all. It may therefore be only prudent not to discount the advice from the noble Lord—although I do not go with his model or necessarily his methodology —that we should consider how a democratic mandate might be implemented. We might reject it, but it would be responsible to look at it in all its various strengths and weaknesses. We really should not fear to consider it.