Robin Cook’s piece in the Guardian is slightly bizzare today. The first half is simply whining that Tony didn’t listen to him in Cabinet. The second, well:

This Monday sees
publication of a draft bill for reform of the House of Lords, with
support from senior figures in all three parties. The text provides for
a modern second chamber, a large majority of whose members will be
elected by the regions of Britain on a basis of proportional
representation.

and

We are at this impasse
because Tony Blair will only accept a second chamber in which all its
members are appointed, with the largest number being appointed by
himself as prime minister. This would limit modernisation to moving
from the 15th-century principle of heredity to the 18th-century
principle of patronage. The result would not be a chamber bursting with
the independent, colourful figures necessary if we are to restore
public interest in parliament, but a chamber stuffed with that bane of
modern political life, the loyal, safe pair of hands.

The problem with regional elections by proportional representation is precisely that it will increase the number of party loyalists who get elected. For, success will be determined by where on the party list one is. This transfers the power of who actually gets elected to the party list managers…this is an improvement in what way? In the Labour Party this will just mean more of Tone’s crones getting in….even more than there are now amongst the appointed members of the Lords for at least some of them get in for achievements other than sucking up to the Party Apparat.

To say nothing, of course, about the way in which Wales and Scotland will be single regions, while England will be broken up so that it cannot be a formidable force.

No, another bad idea from the red bearded dwarf. Come back JB Morton, England is in need of you.