Should there be an elected second chamber, and how should it be elected?

[moochedit]

Until they change it.
I seem to remember when elections had to take place every four years.

Pretty sure max limit always been 5 years in uk although calling after 4 is commen if polls good.

Usa has fixed 4 year terms.

 

[rasputin]

I seem to remember when elections had to take place every four years.

Unless you lived the the United States, I think you may be mis-remembering.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Until they change it.
I seem to remember when elections had to take place every four years.

No, it's been max five years since the end of WW2, probably a long time before that as well, with the govt of the day able to call it at any time before that. The LibDums got Cameron to enact a fixed term of five years, but that was easily overturned by any government that was minded to do so, as happened in 2017, and it's been abolished. One of the less successful reforms of the UK voting system.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I seem to remember when elections had to take place every four years.

fairly sure that in recent memory, the maximum has been 5 years, but many governments have opted to go for an election for 4 years. there's been a tendency on the part of the opposition party and their friends in the media to accuse a government that stays longer than 4 years being 'clinging to office' / 'afraid of going to the country' and in many cases a government that's hung on for 5 years has gone on to lose, or have won unexpectedly and / or with quite a small majority. There is also a risk to incumbent government that something unexpected might hit the fan in the 5th year so going after 4 years at least gives them some control over the timing rather than having to go at the last minute.

the com-dem government brought in a bullshit fixed term parliaments act which meant instead of it being solely decision of the incumbent government, it would require a commons vote to hold an election early.

for example, after 1945, from perspective of the governing party before the election

1950 (5 years) - labour won but by very small majority
1951 (1 year) - labour lost
1955, 1959 (4 year) - tories won
1964 (5 year) - tories lost
1966 (2 year) - labour won
1970 (4 year) - labour lost
1974 (4 year) - tories lost
1979 (5 year) - labour lost
1983, 1987 (4 year) - tories won
1992 (5 year) - tories won
1997 (5 year) - tories lost
2001, 2005 (4 year) - labour won
2010 (5 year) - labour lost
2015 (5 year) - tories won
2017 and 2019 (2 years) - tories won
2024 (not quite 5 years) - in play.

From what I gather, the tory losses in 1964 and 1992 and labour loss in 1979 - each after 5 years - were not at all unexpected.

The tory wins in 1992 and 2015 - again each after 5 years - were against the expectations of at least some of the polls and commentators.