British government removes peers from House of Lords

The British government is to remove the remaining hereditary peers in Parliament.

On Tuesday evening, the British government passed the ‘Hereditary Peers Bill’ which will remove the remaining hereditary peers in the upper chamber. Currently, 92 hereditary peers, which include a range of Dukes, Viscounts, and Earls, can vote on legislation in the House of Lords.

The Palace ​of Westminster has ​about 800 members ⁠in total, most appointed for life by the Prime Minister of the day on the advice of ministers and committees, which will now see the birthright to sit and vote be removed.

The government believes that no one should be able to vote on legislation solely on the basis of their inheritance. While over 600 hereditary peers were removed in the House of Lords Act in 1999, 92 Lords were retained as an interim measure.

Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Smith said:

The Lords plays a vital role within our bicameral Parliament, but nobody should sit in the House by virtue of an inherited title. That is why the government committed to removing the remaining hereditary peerages, completing the reforms that were started over a quarter of a century ago.

Getting this bill through is a major first step towards reform of the Lords, with further changes to follow – including on members’ retirement and participation requirements.

One of the “biggest reforms to Parliament and UK democracy in a generation,” will fulfill a key manifesto pledge of the current government which was started over 25 years ago under Tony Blair who previously called the hereditary system “anachronism.”

The Bill will come into effect at the end of this session of Parliament, after which “no peer will be a member of the House of Lords on the basis of their hereditary peerage”, per the British Government.