# Why is the UK House of Commons being reduced in size?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [April 4, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700 "2017-04-04T00:25:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700/21 "2017-04-14T07:45:57Z")

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> [@aldiboronti](#):
>
> Exactly what would replace it and how it would be structured would be for a plebiscite to decide.

Which could only be done once someone’s worked out fairly complete proposals for what the new structure and system would be. I’m all in favour of citizen’s commissions and the like to work on such issues, but it would still depend on a major input from people who’ve got experience of making the existing system work.

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**Author:** ![sweet\_chemist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@sweet\_chemist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweet_chemist)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700/22 "2017-04-15T14:09:03Z")

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**Aldiboronti** , what an extremely brilliant idea, abolish all the systems without knowing what to replace it with. I’m absolutely sure nothing would go wrong there.

My advice, and it’s offered in the spirit of friendship, is to actually try to think before suggesting political reform.

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**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700/23 "2017-04-16T07:38:18Z")

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> [@sweet\_chemist](#):
>
> **Aldiboronti** , what an extremely brilliant idea, abolish all the systems without knowing what to replace it with. I’m absolutely sure nothing would go wrong there.
> 
> My advice, and it’s offered in the spirit of friendship, is to actually try to think before suggesting political reform.

Care to point out where I said anything would be abolished until such reform had been deliberated upon and decided? I await your reply with interest.

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**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700/24 "2017-04-16T19:55:14Z")

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> [@aldiboronti](#):
>
> Care to point out where I said anything would be abolished until such reform had been deliberated upon and decided? I await your reply with interest.

You kind of suggest that in post #16:

> [@](#):
>
> Originally Posted by **aldiboronti**
> 
> I’m neither an anarchist nor serious, or at least not wholly so. I am however a republican and in favour of a complete reform of Parliament. The reduction to zero members of the present Commons would be a prelude to that reform of the system. Exactly what would replace it and how it would be structured would be for a plebiscite to decide.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-uk-house-of-commons-being-reduced-in-size/783700/25 "2017-04-18T13:31:35Z")

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> [@UDS](#):
>
> …The fact is that the UK’s parliamentary assembly is strikingly large large; 822 members in the upper house, and (currently) 650 in the lower house. Only such paragons of democracy as the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have larger assemblies…

The New Hampshire House of Representatives is also very large proportionally. Each member represents about 3300 people: [New Hampshire House of Representatives - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_House_of_Representatives)

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