Bursting the Westminster bubble.

[Workingman]

Reports are out that Bozo wants to relocate the House of Lords to either York or Birmingham and that the house of Commons could go on tour. It's all to do with getting politicians back in touch with the public.

Talk about gesture politics.

It is not where these people meet that matters it is what, they get up to once they get there. And how "green" will it be shuffling the government machine around the country? Most MPs and Lords / Ladies and their staff are based in or near London precisely because all the Ministries and facilities are situated there. Also, how much will it cost ferrying all these people about the place and putting them up for overnight stays away from home?

What we need is a slimmed down UK parliament in Westminster where elected representatives (1 per million of population) from the devolved governments meet to sort out UK only policy. Then we need a devolved English parliament somewhere near the centre, Rutland say, dealing with English matters. If it's good enough for the Scots, Welsh and N. Irish it would be good enough for us Anglos.

[medsec222]

Another daft idea and a waste of money. I agree entirely WM about a slimmed down Parliament and it would be nice if the English could have their own devolved Parliament like everyone else. Regarding the House of Lords, it should stay exactly where it is with no extra money spent on relocation, and the habit of sending failed politicians etc to the Lords is getting out of hand. They should also have a limited time span, say retiring at 75 years. Many of them just seem to clock in, have a little snooze, and collect £350. on the way out.

[cromwell]

What we need is a slimmed down UK parliament in Westminster where elected representatives (1 per million of population) from the devolved governments meet to sort out UK only policy. Then we need a devolved English parliament somewhere near the centre, Rutland say, dealing with English matters. If it's good enough for the Scots, Welsh and N. Irish it would be good enough for us Anglos.

Quite agree. But politicians in the main want to deny England any unity, preferring to slice it up into nine regions and regional assemblies. Not on!
As for the House of Lords, just dump it and don't bother replacing it.