Baroness Claire Fox has told GB News she thinks the House of Lords should be "abolished".
The former MEP caused controversy when she refused to apologise for historical support of the IRA bombing in Warrington that killed two children.
Baroness Fox of Buckley was included on a 36-strong peerage list in 2020 that led to accusations of cronyism against the Prime Minister after he included his brother, Jo Johnson, and a number of Brexit backers.
Now, Fox has told GB News she "had to think long and hard" before taking her peerage as she believes the House of Lords should be abolished.
Speaking to Michelle Dewberry she said: “I think the House of Lords should be abolished.
Baroness Claire Fox
GB News
“People are going to think that’s mad because I’m in the House of Lords, what am I doing, I’m a hypocrite.
“I had to think long and hard about taking a peerage because I do think it should be abolished.
“The reason I think it needs to be abolished is that I do think that having an unelected second chamber that has a disproportionate influence on the decision making around legislation is problematic.
“Ultimately, as a democrat, I think that the key thing is elected politicians being accountable to the people.”
She continued: “A lot of the people in the House of Lords are people who lost their seats in a general election, the electorate didn’t want them and then their mate who’s the Prime Minister put them in the House of Lords.
“I put all my speeches on social media, not just because I’m vain, but because I think I’ve got to be accountable for what I say.
“I feel ridiculous that I’m there as a politician and that nobody can cancel me."
Baroness Claire Fox
Parliament TV
Responding to a GB News viewer who pointed out that members of the House of Lords are paid £323 per day Fox said “people are struggling in a cost of living crisis. We know it’s a lot of money and it’s not a job".
The UK Parliament website states that: "Most members do not receive a salary for their parliamentary duties but are eligible to receive allowances and, within certain limits, the travel expenses they incur in fulfilling their parliamentary duties.
"Members of the Lords who are not paid a salary may claim a flat rate attendance allowance of £162 or £323 or may choose to make no claim for each sitting day they attend the House."
