Liberal Democrat peers have a track record they can be proud of
April 2025: Daily business in the House of Lords | © House of Lords 2025 / photography by Roger Harris
3 min read
Focusing on the issues people care about, Lib Dem peers in the House of Lords continue to punch above their weight
The diverse and energetic Liberal Democrat peers in the House of Lords continue to punch above their weight. Working across parties and independents, but often alone when we need to, we have focused on issues which most people care about.
In addition, for people who want the Lords to be the last political line of defence – for questions of the rule of law, press freedom, civil liberties, the climate response, the devastating development cuts and the need for more action on an end to the suffering in the Middle East or the Sudan war – it is Liberal Democrat peers who are their proven champions.
Looking at the issues we raise, the questions we ask and the causes we champion, there is no question of the robust complementary role we play to our extremely impressive colleagues in the House of Commons.
Since our primary role is scrutinising and reviewing the government’s legislation, just look at the last year.
Liberal Democrat peers have the highest percentage turnout on votes, therefore often becoming the critical group in the division lobbies. We have used this to bolster community empowerment in football, so the rich clubs contribute more to local communities. On SEND we have ensured there will be mental health support in every school, with stronger rights and support for kinship carers, and in wider education provision we won automatic enrolment for school meals.
Lib Dem peers have the highest percentage turnout on votes
On renters’ legislation we secured better accommodation for long-neglected service families. On employment we had focused successfully on freelancers and reduced bureaucracy, but won long-campaigned protection for whistleblowers. On planning we secured wins on pollution to correct the mistakes of the past.
Liberal Democrats have also led on the issue of AI and, in working with others, we have secured protections by guaranteeing data on its impact on vulnerable people. We also have used our role to secure improvements for charities to increase their income from donations in online legislation. We made sure that the voices of the most vulnerable in the debate on immigration were heard and focused on victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.
And most recently, we stood up for media freedom against foreign ownership when Labour and the Conservatives combined joined forces to defeat us. (This is a more common, but less reported, phenomenon than you might think!)
And if you needed to see a simple comparison on differing priorities, have a glance at the legislation to finally remove hereditary peers. In the entire proceedings in the Lords, we took the bare minimum to speak across all stages and make our case for the need for wholesale reform to make the Lords a democratically chosen second chamber. The Tories spoke, and yes this is true, for more than 28 hours in speeches in a defence of the hereditary principle.
Take a look at the record over the last year and you will see our peers day-in-day-out asking questions of the government on the issues which are impacting the daily lives of the public, and especially those who are the most vulnerable in society. As politics becomes more polarised, the need for this constructive but energetic approach is required more than ever.
Lord Purvis of Tweed is Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords
