Peers blast ‘completely ridiculous’ government plan to move the House of Lords to York as they blame Dominic Cummings for the proposal
- Boris Johnson is considering a bold plan to move the House of Lords to Yorkshire
- But the proposed relocation has sparked fury in Parliament’s upper chamber
Government plans to move the House of Lords to York have been slammed by peers who labelled the proposal ‘completely ridiculous’.
Boris Johnson is considering moving the upper chamber to the north of England as part of a bid to shift power to his new Tory political heartlands.
James Cleverly, the chairman of the Conservative Party, yesterday confirmed that the move was one of a ‘whole range of options’ which are being examined on how to improve the function of British democracy.
But the prospect of being told to move to York has prompted anger and ridicule among many peers with some blaming Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s top adviser, for the plan.
Boris Johnson is believed to have ordered detailed work on the practicalities of relocating peers (pictured at the state opening last month) to Yorkshire
Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, a Conservative peer and former Scottish secretary, said it was a ‘completely ridiculous idea that would cost a fortune’.
‘I can only assume this is the first fruit of the weirdos that Dominic Cummings said he wanted to recruit to Number 10,’ he told The Telegraph.
Lord Forsyth’s anger was echoed by Admiral Lord West, a Labour peer, who described it as ‘madness’.
The former First Sea Lord said: ‘The Lords are a key part of Parliament. It’s not just an add-on where funny people sit around wearing ermine fur.’
The suggestion that the government could move the Lords to York shows Mr Johnson is serious about his stated desire to give a voice to areas that helped deliver his election victory.
Ministers have hailed efforts to ‘connect with the whole of the country’ after the PM ordered detailed work on the practicalities of putting the Lords in Yorkshire.
The plans have gone as far as identifying disused land owned by the government near York railway station as a potential site, according to the Sunday Times.
Peers suggested the idea of moving the House of Lords to York may have been the work of Dominic Cummings, pictured in Downing Street on January 14
The Commons could also go ‘on tour’, holding debates away from London, in a bid to reconnect democracy to the wider UK.
International Development Secretary Alok Sharma said he was ‘supportive’ of the relocation and in principle it would be a ‘very good thing’.
And Mr Cleverly told Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme: ‘What we are looking at is a whole range of options on making sure the whole of the UK feels properly connected to politics.’
Pressed on whether the government would move the Lords, he said: ‘We might. It is one of a range of things that we are looking at.’