Sir Keir Starmer has said that in Labour’s first term he wants to abolish the “indefensible” House of Lords “as quickly as possible.”
Labour has proposed a blueprint for a “New Britain” in their report which is being headed by Gordon Brown, but Starmer did not commit to any time frame for his move, but discussion are taking place.
Sir Keir Starmer told BBC Breakfast, “I’m very keen that all of the recommendations in the report are carried out as quickly as possible.
“So we will now have after today a process of consultation testing the ideas … with a view to how do we implement them?”
Asked if he wants to abolish the House of Lords in Labour’s first term, he told Sky News, “Yes, I do.
“Because when I asked Gordon Brown to set up the commission and do this, I said what I want is recommendations that are capable of being implemented in the first term.”
At the launch event in Leeds Sir Keir will say, “The centre hasn’t delivered.
“We have an unbalanced economy which makes too little use of the talents of too few people in too few places.
“We will have higher standards in public life, a wider spread of power and opportunity, and better economic growth that benefits everyone, wherever they are.
“By setting our sights higher, wider, better, we can build a better future together.”
He will added, “During the Brexit referendum I argued for Remain, but I couldn’t disagree with the basic case that many Leave voters made to me.
“They wanted democratic control over their lives so they could provide opportunities for the next generation, build communities they felt proud of, and public services they could rely on.
“And I know that in the Scottish referendum in 2014, many of those who voted ‘Yes’ did so for similar reasons, the same frustration at a Westminster system that seems remote.”
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