Advertisement
World

Will Keir Starmer scrap the House of Lords? | UK politics | New Statesman

The New Statesman 37



The Labour Party have set out plans to reform the House of Lords. What could replace it?

Subscribe

In 2022 Keir Starmer promised to abolish the House of Lords when Labour reach government. In July 2024, after winning the general election, Labour announced plans to “immediately reform” the upper chamber. These include removing hereditary peers and introducing a mandatory retirement age for peers.

A listener asks: If the labour party in the next 5 years decide to get rid of the house of lords, what is the most likely option for a replacement?

Rachel Cunliffe and Hannah Barnes answer listener questions.

Submit a question for a future episode
www.newstatesman.com/youaskus

Read more: How to reform the House of Lords

What will Labour do to the UK constitution?

CHAPTERS
00:00 What could replace the House of Lords?
05:08 Should age matter in politics?

#UKpolitics #TopNews #politics

—
The New Statesman brings you unrivalled analysis of of the latest UK and international politics. On our YouTube channel you’ll find insight on the top news and global current affairs stories, as well as insightful interviews with politicians, advisers and leading political thinkers, to help you understand the political and economic forces shaping the world.

With regular contributions from our writers including Political Editor Andrew Marr and Anoosh Chakelian – host of the New Statesman podcast – we’ll help you understand the world of politics and global affairs from Westminster to Washington and beyond.

Sign up to Morning Call, the daily UK politics newsletter from the New Statesman:

Subscribe to the New Statesman from just £1 per week:

source

Related Story
37 comments
@harper5892

No chance at all! Starmer wants to be there soon!

@naga9067

If you don't turn up and engage on a regular basis, you shouldn't be a lord

@regarded9702

Does it need reform? The only problem so far is that there is too many members.

Introducing a manditory retirement age and then limiting the number of new members allowed to be made per year will fix that over time. Maybe make a limit for the numbers of lords as well.

That is all it needs.

@anthonybrown4874

The current Lords is full of appointees whose skill set is not what got them there see Lord Owen they're handed out as grace and favour rewards to donors and worse. It's a legislation proof reading house and it's members should be selected appropriately by a bi partisan committee.
The current overflowing house should be left with titles only and the ones with skills necessary and the work ethic should be interviewed as part of a rebuilding process Truss Boris and previous Labour government's turned it into a charade.

@PastelCrayola

If you're looking to keep that skill and knowledge factor and not have a duplicate house of common you might want to look at the Irish Seanad (Senate). It's 60 members with 11 being appointed by the Taoiseach and 6 elected from university alum. The rest are divided into sectors of the economy and can elect there members rather than geographical districts. So there is an education, public administration, labour, industy and agricultural panel. Only members from those sectors can vote. Its not open to the general public. It keeps the bit undemocratic nature of the house of Lords but since its just an advisory and scrutinising body it allows expert opinion and knowledge.

@NewStatesman

Watch next: Kamala Harris could be "much more impressive" as president – Andrew Marr https://youtu.be/wNCPPbcHTWA