"Only we and Lesotho reserve seats for hereditary chieftains" Robin Cook

Great piece by Robin Cook, you know the former member of the Labour cabinate that actually has some principles, about the need to reform the house of Lords. This will never happen while Blair is in power as the reason for reform is to limit the presidential style of government favoured by Blair and move power out from the centre, a concept that is anthima to this government.

"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."