Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Debate between Lord Glentoran and Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

Monday 17th January 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top]

My noble friend is being overly generous to the Government. We are seeing the first part of PR put into the British consciousness. PR cannot work if it is linked to a community. You need to break that link of accountability between place and representative if you are going to have proportional representation; that is the very essence of the system. I believe—and I may be being paranoid—that that is the road down which the Government are taking the first step. I am not sure that every noble Lord understands that, but when one looks at the parts of the Bill together and the Government’s determination not to split them, one sees that that is one of the purposes behind the Bill.

[Lord Glentoran]

My Lords—