The size of the House of Lords is attracting much critical comment. In a letter published in The Times on September 1, Alistair Lexden suggested that an idea of Churchill’s might help to tackle the issue.
Sir, Janice Turner exaggerates a little in saying that Churchill “despised” the Lords (“Cameron dishonours the honours system”, Opinion, Aug.29). Churchill excoriated it for blocking Liberal reforms before the First World War; thereafter he gave it little thought. “The House of Lords means nothing to him”, Lord Moran noted in his diary on February 18, 1953 after a brief conversation about strengthening its powers.
Churchill joked that there should be a “disapeerage”. Those who failed to make a contribution should be taken down a rung. An idle viscount would be demoted to baron; an idle baron would “disapeer”. Should this ploy be applied to today’s inert life barons?
Lord Lexden
House of Lords