Hereditary Peers to Lose Seats in House of Lords
Dozens of hereditary peers are set to lose their seats in the House of Lords following the passage of a bill that will end a parliamentary role that has existed for centuries.
The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill was passed after ministers proposed a compromise to resolve a long-standing dispute with opponents of the reform.
The majority of hereditary peers, who inherit their titles through family lineage, were abolished in 1999 under the last Labour government. This bill removes the remaining 92 hereditary peers from the House of Lords.
Labour Leader Highlights Historic Legislation
Lords Leader Baroness Smith described the legislation as "historic," noting that it fulfilled Labour's manifesto commitment to remove the automatic right of all hereditary peers to sit and vote in the upper house.
"This has never been about the contribution of individuals but the underlying principle that was agreed by Parliament over 25 years ago that no-one should sit in our Parliament by way of an inherited title," Baroness Smith said.
"Over a quarter of a century later, hereditary peers remain whilst meaningful reform has stagnated.
"We have a duty to find a way forward."
Baroness Smith also confirmed that the government would offer life peerages to some Conservative and crossbench hereditary peers who would otherwise lose their seats, leading to the Conservatives withdrawing their opposition to the bill.
Departure of Hereditary Peers and Political Reactions
Up to 92 hereditary peers will leave the House of Lords when the current parliamentary session ends, expected in May.
The Conservative leader in the Lords, Lord True, acknowledged the government's mandate to end hereditary membership in the upper house. He confirmed that the Conservatives would no longer oppose the bill, stating that he had always believed there was a need to reduce "eternal [parliamentary] ping-pong," despite the compromise being difficult for some Conservatives to accept.
Additional Government Compromises
In another concession, the government plans to increase the number of paid ministers in the Lords, addressing the issue that some have worked without a salary due to current legal restrictions.
Response from Departing Hereditary Peers
One of the hereditary peers set to depart, the Earl of Devon, expressed regret over the bill.
"I think the public will miss us," the Earl of Devon said.
He noted that his family had been represented in the Lords for 900 years and criticized the notice period for removal as being shorter than required by employment law.
"We should be proud to sit here as embodiments of the hereditary principle dating back a millennium."
Future Reforms and Legislative Status
Baroness Smith remarked that interim measures have been in place for 25 years since the initial removal of hereditary peers under Tony Blair's government in the 1990s.
Ministers are considering further reforms, including the introduction of a possible retirement age and minimum participation requirements for members.
The bill is now set to become law.
