THE National on Monday listed a “few” prominent Scottish peers and detailed how much they made in tax-free attendance allowances and the number of times they spoke in the Chamber (Scottish peers claim thousands, February 24).
The list referred only to a “few”, yet the count came to 19 and did not include all the Scottish peers at Westminster. There are in fact 61 registered peers with Scottish addresses, but there are more such as Baroness Mone from Glasgow, who declined a Scottish designation.
These former MPs from the old triopoly parties, party hacks and party donors, unelected, are there for life with decision-making powers; the lop-sided nature of the legislature is an abomination.
When you realise that there are now only a mere 11 Scottish MPs from the three Unionist parties at a Westminster, the abomination is even more extreme added to the fact that there are more peers at Westminster than MPs in total.
It is really time for a “cull” of these unelected peers at the heart of the UK system.
The cosy set-up suits those Scottish Unionist party members at Westminster, Holyrood and beyond, aspiring to a seat in the Lords, as it is a nice wee earner, if they are privileged to get a place there.
John Edgar
Kilmaurs
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