Articles tagged with: Lords reform

25 Sep 2024 Political parties

A responsible opposition would not rebuff the government’s manifesto commitment to remove hereditary peers

The government has the right to get its bills through the Lords – and the Lords is right to scrutinise

09 Aug 2024 Parliament

We need to start differentiating between honorary and working peerages

How we can reduce the size of the House of Lords, while also protecting its constitutional purpose?

12 Jun 2024 Political parties

Labour's "Odd" Plans For Lords Reform Cast Doubt Over Abolition

Labour faces questions over whether plans to reform the House of Lords in its first term of government will undermine the party's long-term ambition to abolish the Upper Chamber.

23 May 2024 Parliament

The House of Lords deserves some respect

When discussing the future of the House of Lords, it is imperative that we begin by examining the Upper Chamber’s role, function, and its relationship with the House of Commons.

21 May 2024 Communities

Lords Diary: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes

I am young. I am a woman. And I am from Wales. Many of you will know well that is not the norm in the House of Lords

12 Mar 2024 Obituaries

Patrick Cormack: Man of the House

A one-nation Conservative with 54 years of continuous service in Parliament, former House magazine editor Patrick Cormack was always guided by his strong Anglican faith

26 Dec 2023 Parliament

Democratising the whole of Parliament is needed to restore public trust in politics

Trust in government and political institutions has reached an unprecedented low in the United Kingdom.

21 Dec 2023 Parliament

Lords reform: Backwards, not forwards

Attempting to change the second chamber has often been a case of two steps forward, one back

19 Dec 2023 Parliament

Baroness Smith: 'We should be honest about what we can achieve on Lords reform'

Would Labour really abolish the House of Lords? Sienna Rodgers talks to Baroness Smith about her party’s constitutional plans in government and her 35-year career in politics

06 Jul 2023 Books & culture

Presenting the case for the prosecution: Lord Wallace reviews 'How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn’t'

Ian Dunt has produced a well-researched and fluently written examination of our dysfunctional political system

23 Feb 2023 Parliament

Lords reform is needed but an elected second chamber must not threaten the primacy of the Commons

The Gordon Brown Commission for Constitutional Reform has done sterling work.

14 Dec 2022 Parliament

We should look to Germany for inspiration for constitutional reform

At the end of the Second World War Germany, defeated and with a horrendous past to live down, decided to devise a new constitution. With the help of advice from Britain, it designed a constitution which has proved a great success and has helped to make Germany one of the best run countries since the War.

12 Dec 2022 Parliament

The present composition of the Lords is indefensible – we should look to Europe for inspiration for reform

I have long been lobbying Labour leaders to set up a commission to make recommendations on constitutional reform, including a replacement for the Lords, so I am pleased that a report has, finally, been released. However, I am not fully onboard with all of the proposals.

09 Mar 2022 Parliament

Peers Say Lebedev Is “Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back” In Fresh Plea For Lords Appointments Reform

Parliamentarians have renewed calls for the House of Lords’ appointments watchdog to be granted statutory status following reports that Boris Johnson intervened with the process of awarding a peerage to media baron Evgeny Lebedev.

08 Nov 2021 Political parties

Minister Says House Of Lords Needs A “Rich Mix” Of Peers After Tory Donor Row

A senior Cabinet minister has defended peerages being handed to wealthy Tory donors by saying there needs to be a “rich mix in the House of Lords”.

24 Jun 2021 Social affairs

Bishops in the Lords – an unholy row

The Church of England is one of the most active third sector organisations in the United Kingdom. But do its leaders deserve a special place in Parliament? Lord Taverne and the Bishop of Durham have opposing views

20 Mar 2021 Coronavirus

Lord Fowler: 'Aids has never been a popular cause'

He’s been in parliament more than half a century but never had complete freedom of expression. Lord Fowler, the outgoing Lords Speaker, tells Sally Dawson why he can’t wait to speak his mind