Britain’s democratic farce: This is how the upcoming ‘hereditary by-election’ will workLast week, there was a rather hushed announcement in parliament: a resignation among the Lords. A peer has decided to retire. No big news usually, but this is no ordinary peerage. Nor will it be an ordinary...Posted 16 May 2018
What can be drawn from the House of Lords ‘abolition’ petition and other options for reformThe House of Lords is a centuries-old institution of British politics which has outlived many others and which, to this day, plays an active role in crafting the laws of the land. But in its...Posted 27 Apr 2018
A handful of hereditary peers are trying to stifle reform – they are on the wrong side of historyWestminster is packed full of peculiar traditions from the Commons’ door being slammed in Black Rod’s face to the ban on MPs clapping. While many of them are relatively harmless, there are others which are...Posted 03 Apr 2018
May has dropped the new Lords appointments for now. Here’s what must happen nextFor months now, there has been widespread speculation that new appointments to the House of Lords were imminent. The second chamber – already overflowing with nearly 800 peers – was to welcome yet more former...Posted 16 Feb 2018
There is no room left in the House of Lords and no appetite for yet more peersWhether it’s a restaurant, a stadium, or your belly – when something is full, logic determines you stop adding to it. This basic principle should be applied to the House of Lords, but it isn’t....Posted 14 Feb 2018
Voting patterns in the House of Lords rubbish claims of its independenceArticle first published by Politics.co.uk. It is anticipated that Theresa May will appoint up to a dozen Tory peers this month – which could be joined by a handful of Labour members and some from the DUP. It is...Posted 11 Jan 2018
There’s a lobbying scandal brewing in the House of LordsThe House of Lords has long been a home for party donors and lobbyists. But now it turns out even those who have supposedly retired are taking advantage of the unelected House. As if the...Posted 02 Jan 2018
From random results to Lords-a-claiming – 2017 and the Electoral Reform SocietyLooking back on the past year, there’s a strong sense of achievement at the issues the ERS has been able to raise – and we are equipped with stronger arguments than ever for reform. It...Posted 06 Dec 2017
The House of Lords is a rolling expenses scandal – now politicians must actThe past two years have not been good for the House of Lords. Despite legislation to expel those who commit crimes or fail to attend, there are still those who do very little yet continue...Posted 21 Nov 2017
The facts are clear: We can’t afford to let the Lords go unreformedTomasina Wallman is a University of Nottingham Research Placement student with the Electoral Reform Society. The evidence is stronger than ever. The House of Lords is a drain not only on our democracy, but on...Posted 16 Nov 2017