I WANT another referendum.

I know the ballot boxes have only just been put away but we need one more.

Another chance to take back control and exert the principle that those taking decisions that affect our lives should be elected by us the people.

I’m not talking about independence or the EU, we have done that and the people have decided.

I mean the most outrageously undemocratic institution that we have put up with for far too long, the House of Lords.

There are 800 members of the House of Lords, more than there are MPs and MSPs put together.

So let’s have a closer look at some of them.

The latest bunch to be “elevated” included Michelle Mone or Lady Mone of Mayfair as she has styled herself.

I’d rather have my fellow columnist, Michelle McManus, at least she has won a public vote before.

Ms Mone, on the other hand, would struggle to win a vote on Celebrity Big Brother, I suspect.

Then there is jailbird Lord Watson, who upon leaving one big hoose, Saughton Jail, headed back to another, the Hoose of Lords, on the banks of the Thames.

Politicians are known for their ability to start an argument in an empty room, whereas Mr Watson, when left alone in an empty room in an Edinburgh hotel, started a fire.

We also have Baron Purvis of the LibDems, who after he was booted out of Holyrood when he was plain old Jeremy, was installed in the Lords by his party.

‘Sorry about that election defeat, old boy, here’s a job for life without having to worry about those pesky voters.’

The latest addition is the biggest farce of all.

Viscount Thurso. He was a hereditary peer who lost his seat in the partial cull of 1999, then he was an MP till he was defeated last year.

So when there was a vacancy this year for one of the 92 hereditary peers, I know I missed that ad in Maryhill Job Centre too, he was right up for it.

He was elected, but by an electorate of just three other LibDem hereditary peers. Why people are not on the streets about this sort of thing I do not know.

Many of the Lords have a lot to offer but if you want to just hide, turn up, collect your allowance and do hee-haw for it then you can easily blend into the ermine background on the red benches.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it turns out Lord Lucan has been in there all along.

So if we need a second, revising and scrutinising chamber, by all means let’s have one that is filled with men and women of experience in a range on sectors.

Buts let’s make sure they are elected and are not given an archaic, deferential title of Lord.

So next year’s referendum question then.

Do you want to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a democratically elected chamber?

Yay or nay.