Clegg's limit to democracy enthusiasm

Today in Parliament

Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab):

Will the Deputy Prime Minister extend his commendable enthusiasm to trusting the people and extending democracy by giving our people a right that is enjoyed in almost every other free country in the world—that is, will he allow them to vote on whether Charles, William or A. N. Other should be our next head of state?

The Deputy Prime Minister:

I am struggling enough simply to make the case for what I see as the plain vanilla, common-sense proposition that the people in the other place who make the laws of the land should be elected by those who have to obey the laws of the land. I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman’s proposition, but let us focus on the argument on the other place right now, as it has not yet been fully won.

Comments

[Tim Sharp]

Before the election he was sympathetic to the republican point of view but I agree with him it is still a stain on our democracy that we have any hereditaries - it is such a struggle getting the entitled class in the UK to recognise that they are here to represent the people - not just their old school friends.