Mark Drakeford says he would turn down House of Lords seat
Mr Drakeford, who will step down from his role as first minister of Wales in March, has called parliament's upper house a "democratic anachronism".
Wednesday 20 December 2023 15:19, UK
Mark Drakeford, Wales's first minister, has said he would turn down the offer of a seat in the House of Lords.
The outgoing leader of the Labour Party in Wales called parliament's upper house a "democratic anachronism".
Of the 784 peers in the Lords, 175 are Labour and 270 are Conservatives.
Labour's leader in the Lords, Baroness Smith of Basildon, said the party needed to "refresh our numbers", in an interview with The House magazine.
"I will not be looking to, if I were ever to be asked - I would not be looking to become a member of an unelected House of Lords," Mr Drakeford said.
"I simply don't believe that that is the right way to run things in a democracy."
Instead, Mr Drakeford said he would like to see reform to the House of Lords.
"I don't say for a minute that they all have to be done on the first day, but there is a journey of House of Lords reform that we need to embark upon," he added.
"The fact that there are hereditary peers still making laws in this country is surely, well if I was to call it a democratic anachronism, that would be giving you the kindest description I can think of."
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Mr Drakeford will step down as first minister in March, once a successor has been elected.