The (Conservative) Case Against AV and Reform of the Lords

Philip Norton - now the ennobled Lord Norton of Hull - is a well-known constitutional academic based at Hull University. Lord Norton is a Conservative peer, and his recent defence of the status quo in Westminster elections and the House of Lords is well worth a read. His article can be found at the website Conservative Home:

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2010/09/philip-norton-neither-a-new-electoral-system-for-the-commons-nor-an-elected-lords-will-fix-politics.html


Norton suggests that the proposed system of Alternative Vote is rather less fit for purpose than the current First Past the Post system. The peer also believes that the House of Lords does the job it is meant to do admirably well. Norton’s final point is that the system isn’t broken, and doesn’t need fixing - it’s only the politicians who really need to change. The article represents an eloquent and concise conservative defence of the existing system—a very useful read for students needing an articulate point of view from which to develop notes.