Power to grant new peerages 'will be tied to party electoral success'
2 min read
The number of Lords each political party can appoint will be tied to their general election performances in a major shake up of the peerage system, it has been reported.
The proposal is the key ingredient of a major plan to slim the House of Lords to just 600 members, which is due to be published next week, according to the Times.
It currently has almost 800 - making it the second largest legislating chamber in the world after China.
Quotas for each party will be based on the number of seats won by parties at elections as well as their overall vote share, the paper says.
As it stands, the Liberal Democrats would be hardest hit by the plans. They have 100 peers despite a dismal performance at the last two general elections.
A party insider told the Times: “There are many much older peers among the Conservative and Labour groups who have simply been clinging on in to help their party.
“A number would happily resign under plans to shrink the house all round. But the Lib Dem peers tend to be younger and dug in.”
The source added: “I expect there’d be a fight about who goes.”
According to the paper, the parties will be expected to cut the number in the chamber to 600 over a ten year period.
It follows a previous report that the review will recommend new peerages are time-limited to just 15 years.
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