'Meg Russell's book is a valuable contribution to the debate on the further stages of House of Lords reform. It is always useful to gain a greater understanding from the experience of other countries.' -Baroness Jay, Leader of the House of Lords'The debate on the future of the House of Lords has so far been insular and backward-looking. Meg Russell provides and overdue and authoritative corrective in showing the lessons to be learnt from second chamber overseas in the balanced, analytical and highly readable manner that the Constitution Unit has made its trademark. She outlines how an independent and distinctive second chamber could form a central part of the developing constitutional settlement, complementing but not threatening the Commons.' -Peter Riddell, The Times'An excellent addition to the comparative literature on bicameralism which will be of great use to those interested in parliaments, parliamentary reform and comparative government generally' -Campbell Sharman, University of Western Australia'excellent new survey' -The Guardian'Ms Russell's thorough book goes straight to the heart of the hardest questions and gives a sober, efficient account of what is to be said on each side... sound, sensible, and well-researched study.' -Michael Fry, Glasgow Herald, 24/2/00'Russell should be thanked for a valuable, laborious and exhaustive study carried out in a fair and honest spirit... provides a thorough professional exercise... shrewd political judgments.' -John Vincent, LRB, 16/3/00The constitution of Britain is changing rapidly, and the House of Lords is next on the agenda for reform. This book provides an international context, using material as yet unpublished in the UK. What can we learn from the appointed Canadian Senate, the elected Australian Senate, the German federal Bundesrat, or our other European neighbours.

Essay from the year 2005 in the subject Politics - Region: Western Europe, grade: 66% (1,7), University of the West of England, Bristol, language: English, abstract: House of Lords reform has been talked about for over a century, but the subject has been of most recent attention as, in 1999, Tony Blair’s New Labour Party introduced a reform for the Upper Chamber to make it more representative and democratic. But the government only conducted the first stage of this reform, consisting in a merely partial abolition of the hereditary peers. Since then, the composition of the House of Lords is only temporary while proposals for a second reform stage are being discussed for five years now. The aim of this paper is to analyze on which basis the House of Lords should be reformed.

Examines the debates and developments about House of Lords reform since 1911, and notes that disagreements have occurred within, as well as between, the main political parties and governments throughout this time. It draws attention to how various proposals for reform have raised a wider range constitutional and political problems.

The introduction of the Bill to remove hereditary peers from the second chamber of the British Houses of Parliament could lead to a major constitutional clash. This book sets out the arguments surrounding the issue.