Blogger: The UK needs to keep the unelected expertise to which Mr Johnston refers but such appointments need to be largely apolitical. No appointments to the Lords, with only very rare exceptions, should be to party apparatchiks.
There needs to be a significant representation of people across the structures of the nation rather than those of a particular philosophical bent. Indeed, special interest groups should be kept to a minimum.
I would like to see 'local heroes' granted seats alongside a number of members elected by proportional representation.
Scrapping the Lords wouldn't make British democracy work any better