The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, argued in his recent Magna Carta lecture against the idea of a fully elected second chamber at Westminster. As the debate about Lords reform continues, political theologian Graeme Smith seeks to show why the Archbishop is wrong to put his faith in an oligarchic form of democracy rather than one based on full electoral accountability.

Conservatives leaned heavily on Liberal Democrat support in the Lords last night, avoiding another humiliating welfare reform defeat by only 16 votes.

The joint Parliamentary (Commons and Lords) Human Rights Committee has agreed with civic and church campaigners for migrants rights that changes to the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme in 2006 breached human rights.