Lord Prezzer!

[observer]

Well class warrior Prezzer has finally tugged his forlock and bent the knee; so the ship's barsteward has finally made it - sure Pauline will be made up! Will this reinforce the social order?

[byrdy]

Yet another champagne socialist!

[observer]

Not Prezzer, he's too uncouth and thick for that; they'll keep him hanging round, to remind themselves just how civilized they are!

[Lt Kije]

If people like him didn't go there, it would be full of Tories Plus the house of lords might be more entertaining with him in it

[byrdy]

If people like him didn't go there, it would be full of Tories

Nothing wrong with that!

[observer]

Errm, that's the point Kyje, and he's just joined 'em!

[Peter T]

I wonder if he will be playing more croquet now that he is mixing above his station?

It certainly won't be polo.

[Lt Kije]

Nothing wrong with that

 

No everything is wrong with that

[observer]

Lady Pauline will be loving every minute of it, they finally arrived!

[harry hayes]

His elevation to the peerage is one of those things which makes this country grate.

 

Happy days

[Lt Kije]

I disagree Harry it makes it Great

 

He is no worse than some of the people who have a birth right to it

[observer]

Seems to me, a real socialist would give up his title, indeed, go through the courts to do it - now I wonder who did that?!

[Egbert]

Giving a peerage to someone like JP devalues the peerage.

 

Having said that, he might well make the Lords a more entertaining place to be!

 

As to Observer's point out about real socialists giving up titles, I assume he is referring to Benn.

 

I would say that a REAL socialist wouldn't just give up his title, he'd give up his money as well. Not much chance of that.

 

Socialism would be a marvelous thing if we weren't all Conservatives at heart!

[wolfie]

Giving a peerage to someone like JP devalues the peerage.

 

 

As Tony Benn once said:-

1. What power have you got?

2. Where did you get it from?

3. In whose interests do you exercise it?

4. To whom are you accountable?

5. How can we get rid of you?'

 

Now how can you devalue a bunch of unelected cretins that spend more time asleep than on their feet?

 

They should be called Mum and Dad's house.

 

You decide on something, they say No but you do it anyway.

[Lt Kije]

Egbert

 

If people of the left don't take peerage's Lords, Before Labour started on it and got rid of alot of the people who got in though birthright it was a Tory nodding shop.

 

And how can you devalue the Peerage when most are born to it and have no idea what life for the common man is about, and yet they can make or stop decisions going though parliament on our behalf.

 

Get rid of all hereditary peers in the Lords and make it an elected house

[observer]

Well we know their "true allegiance" is to the monarch and her successors, the establishment - NOT to the people.

[Egbert]

Oh dear, we have the politics of envy rearing its ugly head here!

 

Unelected cretins? It doesn not necessarily mean you are a cretin because you inherit a title. Nor because you are elected.

 

The trouble with an elected second house is that it is elected by the same people who elect the first house. And a large proportion of the electors ARE cretins.

 

I do not agree that the Lords was a Tory nodding shop before Life Peerages were introduced. And from what I see, the Life Peers are just as capable of falling asleep on the job as the Hereditary ones.

 

I think the Lords do a pretty good job. They did before Life Peerages and they have continued to do so since. They don't inconvenience the Commons too often - but when they do there is usually a good reason for doing so.

 

But, entertainment value apart, I can't see much of a case for a Lord Prescott.

 

Marquess of Queensbury rules in the House perhaps?

[harry hayes]

Very good posting Egbert. Personally I think the House of Lords does an important and good job - not helped by the recent tinkering.

 

They have pretty much always showed more common sense than those elected to do the same.

 

Happy days

[Lt Kije]

Egbert

 

Before life Peers were introduced, Most Hereditary Peers were Tories, Good for a Tory Government, not very good when we didn't have a Tory government, and unfair on the other political parties, I agree that some hereditary Peers were not cretins but alot were something todo with inbreeding in my opinion.

 

But I do not believe people by right of birth should wield power or influence over me

[Peter T]

 

 

But I do not believe people by right of birth should wield power or influence over me

 

Do you check the birth details of the management before you accept a job?

[Lt Kije]

Good point Peter

 

I meant in the context of our Noble Lords and Peers

[observer]

I think you presume that managers are professionally qualified for their positions, NOT just born into them!

[Egbert]

I am afraid that whether we like it or not, the accident of birth has a lot to do without our lives thereafter.

I believe there is as much "inbreeding" among the working classes as among the peers of the realm - probably more. I see evidence of it around me on a daily basis!

I do not normally feel as if people wield power and influence over me, although I have no doubt they do. Really, the only times I HAVE been subject to the power and influence of others was when I was told what I could and could not do by a trade union.

But no doubt Observer and Lt Kije think that is different in some way!

[observer]

May surprise you Egg; but in this Country, you are a "subject" NOT a "citizen"; and expected to "know your place"!

[Egbert]

Doesn't surprise me, Obs, nor worry me. Quite happy with "my place."

It seems to me the only people who worry about it are those who are not happy with their place!