Hereditary peers to be removed from Lords as bill passes

"This has never been about the contribution of individuals but the underlying principle that was agreed by Parliament over 25 years ago that no-one should sit in our Parliament by way of an inherited title. Over a quarter of a century later, hereditary peers remain whilst meaningful reform has stagnated. We have a duty to find a way forward."

"The majority of hereditary peers, who inherit their titles through their families, were abolished in 1999 under the last Labour government and this bill gets rid of the last remaining 92. Lords Leader Baroness Smith said the historic legislation realised Labour's manifesto pledge to remove the right of all hereditary peers to sit and vote in the upper house."

"The Conservative leader in the Lords, Lord True, said he accepted the government's mandate to end hereditary membership of the upper house. Confirming the Tories would no longer fight the bill, he said he had always believed there was a need to dial down eternal parliamentary ping-pong even though the compromise would be a bitter pill for some on his side to swallow."

The House of Lords passed legislation to remove the last 92 hereditary peers, completing a reform process initiated over 25 years ago. The bill fulfills Labour's manifesto commitment to eliminate inherited parliamentary seats. The government offered life peerages to some Conservative and crossbench members facing displacement, which secured Conservative withdrawal of opposition. Baroness Smith emphasized the reform reflects the principle that no one should hold parliamentary office through inherited titles. The remaining hereditary peers will lose their seats when the current parliamentary session ends in May. This compromise resolved a long-standing dispute and allows meaningful reform to proceed after decades of stagnation.

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