Oral Answers to Questions

Huw Irranca-Davies Excerpts

Tuesday 10th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

4. What his policy is on the holding of a referendum on his plans for House of Lords reform.

[Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab)]

6. What his policy is on the holding of a referendum on his plans for House of Lords reform.

[The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg)]

We are not persuaded by the arguments for holding a referendum on Lords reform. All three main parties committed to reform at the last election, and the views of the public are clearly and consistently in favour of introducing democratic legitimacy to the House of Lords.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

First, as I said, unlike other issues on which we have held referendums, on which there were profound differences between the stated positions of the political parties, all the main parties in the House have committed to reforming the other place for many years in their manifestos. Secondly, at a time like this, on a subject on which we are supposed to agree and when much of the country expects us to instil democracy in Parliament, it would be difficult to justify wasting about £80 million asking the public a question that they do not find controversial in the first place. That would nonplus many members of the public.

The final, very important point is that we as a country are going to face a hugely important issue in a referendum on the future of the United Kingdom during the course of this Parliament. I genuinely ask the hon. Lady, other members of her party and others who advocate a referendum to reflect seriously on the wisdom of saying that there should be another, parallel referendum that the public are not clamouring for, at a time when we are seeking to settle the future of the UK.

[Huw Irranca-Davies]

The Deputy Prime Minister says that he is not persuaded; let me try. There have been referendums on devolved Governments in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, on devolution for the north-east, on the alternative vote and on city mayors. Why can he not accept the genuine argument that to ensure the validation of such a major constitutional change as he proposes, we must put the question to the people on precedence as well as on principle?