Labour’s Latest Lords Reform: A Familiar Battle with New Faces and Old Challenges

As the Labour Party pushes for changes to the House of Lords, the complete overhaul of this institution remains distant. The proposed legislation, which seeks to remove the 92 hereditary peers from their seats, is undergoing its second reading in the House of Commons. It is expected to encounter numerous modifications as it progresses through the legislative process in both chambers.

Senior political reporter @joncraig

Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 7

History repeats itself. Dating back to the 1960s, successive Labour administrations have made efforts to enact legislation to conclude the operations of the House of Lords, but the institution continues to endure.

In a recent effort to overhaul the Upper Chamber of parliament, discussions occurred regarding the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, which seeks to remove the 92 peers with seats passed down through family ties.

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Best of luck, as the saying goes. Indeed, Sir Keir Starmer enjoys a substantial majority in the Commons, much like Tony Blair did. However, Blair's efforts to overhaul the Lords met with failure, culminating in a debacle and complete chaos.

In the recent debate on the second reading, Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds opened by referencing Harold Wilson, whose biography he notably authored, discussing the idea of reforming the Lords back in 1968.

Mr. Thomas-Symonds omitted any reference to the 2003 debacle when Parliament dismissed every one of the reform alternatives—were there five or six?—put forward by Robin Cook. These included complete elimination, a fully elected chamber, 80% elected members, and 60% elected members.

Once again, there's a push to eliminate hereditary peers from their positions. However, that's the extent of it. The Labour Party's previous commitment to mandate retirement for peers at the age of 80 has been quietly, yet some would argue wisely, put aside.

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Baroness Harman supports the commitment to remove members of the Lords when they reach 80 years old.

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It's quite expected. Just as the 80-and-out plan was introduced, Sir Keir Starmer was appointing esteemed figures Margaret Becket, 81, and Margaret Hodge, 80, to the House of Lords.

Several esteemed members from the Labour side in the House of Lords, including national icons Joan Bakewell and Alf Dubs, both 91, along with Robert Winston, were also given their walking papers. This raises concerns of blatant age discrimination!

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Mr. Thomas-Symonds, known for his intellect, faced immediate challenges from veteran members of the opposing party during his speech as he tried to justify the government's position.

Sir John Hayes inquired about the monarch, noting his hereditary status. Sir Edward Leigh raised a question regarding Catholic bishops. Meanwhile, Pete Wishart of the SNP called for the complete elimination of the Lords.

Speaking from the opposition's side, the ex-deputy prime minister, Sir Oliver Dowden, gave a humorous speech, acknowledging it as his "farewell" since he anticipates being excluded from the new Tory leader's shadow cabinet.

Disgraceful! "Olive," as his Conservative colleagues affectionately refer to him, carries a hint of theatrical flamboyance reminiscent of a pantomime dame. His absence from the Conservative front bench will certainly leave it less vibrant and humorous, a fact he showcased in his recent speech.

"According to Sir Oliver," he stated with a smirk, "the Labour Party epitomizes the concept of inheritance. It's about the rise of the nepotism offspring from North London, the crowning of these so-called red princes…

"The Falconers, Kinnocks, Benns, Eagles, and Reeves are among the notable members, yet within Labour's exclusive circle, while hereditary lords are shown the door, it's a welcoming space for hereditary MPs."

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Following the light-hearted exchanges during the Commons' second reading, Mr. Thomas-Symonds' bill is expected to undergo numerous modifications as it progresses through further stages in both the Commons and the Lords.

Sir Oliver stated that prominent Labour figures, including David Blunkett, Peter Mandelson, and Andrew Adonis, had already expressed criticism of the bill. He questioned whether their objections might pose difficulties for the government in the House of Lords.

The recent debate on the second reading has reiterated a familiar point, underscored by Robin Cook's embarrassment in 2003: there's a persistent lack of agreement among parliament members regarding the reform of the House of Lords, and it's unlikely that consensus will be reached anytime soon

That's the reason the conclusion of the peer show is likely still far in the future.

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