Ever since Tony Blair took a wholly undemocratic but highly effective House of Lords, and turned it into an equally undemocratic hybrid chamber of purchased privilege and a breeding ground for unelected government ministers, its effectiveness, credibility and integrity has diminished at the same rate as the quality of the incumbents.

The latest list includes Des Browne - a vacillating, weak and inconsistent Defence Secretary who carries personal responsibility for the deaths of dozens of British servicemen and women. John Prescott - a loud, brutish and remarkably unintelligent Deputy Prime Minister, who achieved virtually nothing in his whole political career, other than the routine bonking of his diary secretary. Michael Howard - guilty of irregularities with his expenses, and a total failure as a Leader of the Opposition, and previously as Home Secretary. Ian Paisley - now I know someone is having a laugh! Sir Ian Blair - a failed Chief Constable of the Met, ultimately responsible for some of the worst policing the capital has seen, but very cosy with the government of yesterday.

Does anyone seriously feel that the House of Lords is anything other than a rather corrupt, inept and elite failed old boys club? Time for it to be reformed from the inside out and the top down. Peerages if retained at all, should be ceremonial titles with no political influence whatsoever just as OBEs, MBEs and CBEs are. The House of Lords should be an elected upper house with a fixed period of office for those elected who should remain content with the prefix Mister or the suffix Esquire!