Saturday 1 December 2012

Paper Peers

Another thought on the search for the hundred or so new members of the House of Lords who apparently have to be created in the near future.

The Parliamentary Lobby lists 53 of what are therefore State-licensed print newspapers and magazines. Over a designated weekend, why not include in each of them a coupon to send back, nominating a potential Peer of the Realm?

In each case the three with the most nominations would go out, on another designated weekend, to a ballot of all readers by means of the inclusion of a ballot paper in each copy. Each reader would vote for one, and the top two would be elected. Resulting in 106 new Peers.

Of course, this would only be possible because we already have, as we have had since time immemorial, a State-licensed press. The most diverse press in the world, based on that list. That list of State licensees.

4 comments:

  1. Is the Eye in it? Is the Catholic Herald?

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  2. Private Eye, at least, could be if it wanted to be. In his time, and although he did not attend, Ian Hislop has been invited to a reception for the media with the Queen.

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  3. I love the idea of ennobling the second placed candidate from a ballot of Morning Star readers. Just imagine.

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  4. Remember the second Baron Milford.

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