May has dropped the new Lords appointments for now. Here’s what must happen next For 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 peers Whether 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 independence Article 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 Lords The 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 Society Looking 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 act The 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 unreformed Tomasina 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
The proposed Lords reforms are sticking plaster politics: Peers are writing their own rules We’re at a rare point in politics. There is almost a consensus on the need for change –to cut down the supersized House of Lords. At the end of this month, a key Lords committee... Posted 19 Oct 2017
There’s a ‘something for nothing’ culture in the Lords. It’s time for reform Emma Levin reflects on our recent House of Lords research While their role is supposedly to scrutinise government, it is the House of Lords that should be coming under increased scrutiny, following revelations today. Just... Posted 21 Sep 2017
The results come in for the UK’s most bizarre and elitist election Baron Vaux of Harrowden (or Richard Hubert Gordon Gilbey) has won a seat for life on the basis of 16 (out of 27 cast) aristocrats’ votes. How did we get here? In 1999, the House... Posted 20 Jul 2017