LORD Steel will today denounce the UK Government for taking a “piecemeal tinkering” approach to reforming Westminster instead of establishing a constitutional commission to consider widespread reform.
Giving a lecture in Armagh, entitled “towards a federal United Kingdom”, the former Liberal Party leader will argue that a wholly reformed Upper Chamber elected by the component institutions of the UK would provide a real opportunity to re-structure the UK and include non-party members to replace the Crossbenchers in the Lords.
Under the Lib Dem peer's proposal for a 500-seat Senate to replace the House of Lords, Scotland would have 40 members and Northern Ireland 15; senators would be elected by the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.
Meantime under the system proposed by the former Holyrood Presiding Officer, English MPs and MEPs would vote in regions to avoid excessive London weighting.
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