Directly Elected Mayors

Lord Lexden Excerpts

Monday 31st October 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, as I indicated, it is the directly elected representatives of cities such as Liverpool and Manchester—not necessarily Conservative areas—who bring forward the idea and then it is for the people to make their choice on the mayor. All the evidence on the continent, in the United States and, as the noble Lord rightly said, in London, shows that this is the way forward for ambitious deals.

[Lord Lexden (Con)]

My Lords, have we not had enough referendums for the time being?

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, there are certainly all sorts of drawbacks to having too many referendums.