Released 31 March 2003

Pictures

On Tuesday 1 April the parliamentary Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform meets to decide the fate of the second chamber.

To illustrate how lords reform is being hung out to dry, "Tony Blair" will be hanging out lords outfits on a washing line with us, at 10am on Tuesday 1 April, on Parliament Square.

Karen Bartlett, Director of Charter88, is concerned about the lack of progress in democratic reform of our parliament. She said, "We are in danger of missing out on the opportunity for a modern and legitimate House of Lords. Unlike most other democracies, we are denied the opportunity of electing those who govern us in the second chamber. This situation is democratically unsustainable".

Our recent opinion poll showed that the vast majority of the British people want a majority elected House of Lords, and do not support the Prime Minister's preferred option of a 100% appointed House. Last week's farcical hereditary peer by-election shows that the system is in drastic need of an overhaul, and sooner, not later.

We say to the government and the joint committee on Lords Reform, "Don't hang democracy out to dry".