Tony Blair's support for patronage shows need for new approach under Gordon Brown

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 18th Jun 2007

Commenting on outgoing Prime Minister Tony Blair's backing of an appointed House of Lords in evidence to the Commons Liaison Select Committee today, Unlock Democracy has called on Gordon Brown to adopt a new approach by announcing a programme of democratic Lords reform early in his premiership.

Gordon Brown has repeatedly indicated his support for democratic reform of the House of Lords, voting for an 80% elected second chamber in the Commons earlier this year. A clear majority of MPs voted for both the 80% and fully elected options this March.

Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey said,

"Tony Blair's statement today makes one wonder if he actually reads his own government's White Papers. Jack Straw's report earlier this year clearly spells out a system of democratic reform that avoids duplicating the House of Commons in the way that Tony Blair warns.

"It is understandable that Tony Blair feels the need to defend the status quo, and thus his reputation, with the cash-for-peerages controversy still hanging over his head. But it is equally clear that Gordon Brown must make a clean break with the past by calling for a programme of reform sooner rather than later.

"With David Cameron breathing down his neck and claiming to be a true progressive, Gordon Brown cannot afford to kick this issue into the long grass in the way that some of his allies appear to be suggesting. Doing so would indicate that his rhetoric about the need for constitutional change is distinctly hollow, particularly following the Freedom of Information debacle earlier this month."

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