THE favourite to become Scottish Labour leader has called for the abolition of the House of Lords and for its democratically-elected replacement to be based in Glasgow.
Kezia Dugdale, who is expected to win the race to succeed Jim Murphy later this month, criticised the Tony Blair led Labour Government for not going far enough on reform of the Lords when it had the chance.
Describing the second chamber of unelected peers as a "democratic outrage", she said that "Labour’s reforming spirit was replaced by a small “c” conservatism."
The Lothians MSP said that one positive from revelations over the "nocturnal activities" of Lord Sewel - the Scottish peer and deputy speaker of the Lords who quit after he was captured allegedly taking cocaine with prostitutes - was that reform was back on the agenda and warned that the days of "a collective doffing of the cap" to establishment institutions were long gone.
She argued that a replacement chamber, which she said was necessary to offer checks and balances, scrutiny and revision to power and legislation, must be democratically elected and be based outside of London.
Ms Dugdale said: "I’ll campaign for it to be based in Glasgow – where better than the biggest city of a nation that has just reaffirmed its commitment to keeping our country together? A yes city. A city bristling with political energy, art, culture, deep-rooted poverty and grand history. A city hungry for change.
"Shifting location would demonstrate that power is literally on the move – a move from a clubhouse for the elite to a democratic, representative, balanced revising chamber."
The former Scottish Labour deputy leader also attacked for SNP for repeatedly criticising the House of Lords but failing to set out what it believed should take its place.
"With a majority of MSPs, the SNP dominates both the chamber and the committees," she said of the Scottish Parliament. "Post-legislative scrutiny is non-existent. Bad laws can be passed by whips doing good jobs.
"Is that why the SNP has been less concerned with developing an alternative to an unelected Lords? Because it has experienced the power of power unchecked?
"It is not enough just to be angry, to rage against the political machine. That alone will not drive change. Those who are serious about shaking up our country and who it works for need more than anger – they need an alternative."
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