South East Liberal Democrats have voted by an overwhelming majority to call for a change in party policy to call for a fully elected body to replace the House of Lords.
The new policy was passed at the Regional Conference in Effingham, Surrey. It goes further than the party’s 2005 manifesto pledge for a “predominantly” elected House of Lords. South East Lib Dems intend to take the motion to Federal Conference next Spring.
The motion was proposed by former Dover PPC Antony Hook and was summated by Regional Chair and Federal Executive member Mike Simpson.
Antony Hook, a barrister, described the motion as principled, unambiguous, and consistent. In his speech he argued liberals must believe that those effected by lawmakers’ decisions should be able to choose their lawmakers and get rid of them when they start taking bad decisions, which he described as the best guarantee of government in the public interest.