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
The House of Lords is in the midst of yet another hereditary peers’ by-election By Darren Hughes In case you’re not aware of this bizarre constitutional anomaly, in 1999, the House of Lords Act kicked out all but 92 hereditary peers. But instead of reducing that number over time,... Posted 11 Jul 2017
Enough is enough – it’s time for a full review of Lords’ expenses It seems that each new batch of expenses from the House of Lords is yet another scandal. This weekend we saw fresh revelations – and with it, some pretty egregious abuses of the system. Yesterday... Posted 03 Apr 2017
The momentum for Lords reform is growing Reform often comes through an unusual mix of factors. They stir up within a short space of time – until the whole strange potion explodes. It feels like we might be witnessing that process right... Posted 10 Mar 2017
The House of Lords effectively has seats reserved for men The House of Lords is back in spotlight this morning, last night having again challenged the government’s Brexit plans by voting 336 to 268 for Parliament to be granted a meaningful vote on the final... Posted 08 Mar 2017
Lords scandals do a disservice to our democracy – including our MPs If there’s one thing that’s certain about politics in these volatile times, it’s that MPs aren’t exactly flavour of the month. In fact, they’re ranked below bankers and estate agents when it comes to trust. But they... Posted 02 Mar 2017
Lords reform shouldn’t be a threat – it’s a core part of ‘taking back control’ Lords have begun debating the Article 50 Bill. With 191 speakers lined up and plenty of amendments tabled, it’s a fascinating moment for democracy and Britain’s constitution. What we’re witnessing is this: legislation that resulted from... Posted 20 Feb 2017
The inquiry on cutting the Lords risks looking like a stitch up Back in December, the House of Lords voted unanimously to back the statement “that this House believes that its size should be reduced, and methods should be explored by which this could be achieved”. It... Posted 14 Feb 2017
How to shrink the Lords: have your say today If you think the House of Lords is in dire need of a shakeup, it’s time to tell Peers what you think. An inquiry by the Lord Speaker’s committee is looking at how to shrink our bloated upper chamber.... Posted 07 Feb 2017
Party over Principle: Independence in the Lords The House of Lords is often assumed to be more independent than the Commons because it is less strongly whipped and because it contains Crossbench members who do not have a party affiliation. But it’s... Posted 09 Oct 2015