Lords lost in stasis as fake reforms go nowhere Politics is often dominated by disagreements, but one thing almost everyone agrees on is this: the House of Lords is too big. At 800 members, we have the largest second chamber in the world. So... Posted 02 Nov 2018
There’s a sham election happening in Parliament. Here’s what you need to know The idea that people can become lawmakers for life – simply because they were born into the ‘right’ family – is, to most of us, absurd. Yet in the UK, in 2018, this is the... Posted 04 Jun 2018
What can be drawn from the House of Lords ‘abolition’ petition and other options for reform The 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 history Westminster 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 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
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