House of Lords

Thank goodness the hereditary peers are going – some claimed huge expenses and gave almost nothing in return

A term limit, rather than an age limit, is key to reforming the upper house

The House of Lords, where real monarchy lies, must be abolished

The honours system must be changed so it no longer rewards cronyism and lies

Our modern democracy demands – and deserves – more modern ways of functioning

A clear plan from Labour on how to repair the damage the Tories have done to our mental health services will reap enormous political dividends

This scandal may have disappeared from the headlines, but it remains corrosive to public faith in British politics

Sunak was too weak and slow to do anything about Johnson’s dirty honours. The upcoming byelections will make things worse

Both left office in disgrace and dishonour. Yet they still believe a resignation honours list is their right

The PM doesn’t seem very keen to have a bonfire of EU rules. And that spells trouble – for him

This week's gossip and scandals in Westminster and the media brought to you by MANDRAKE

One thing is clear: reforming the House of Lords won't be easy

It was his first appearance in over a year. Meanwhile, his father sat alone on the cross-benches as no peer wanted to be seen dead with him

He faces being dropped as a member in the House of Lords after failing to show up for an entire season - much to the disappointment of Brexiteer Lord David Owen

Long-promised proposals to reform social care will be set out later this year to ensure that every person “receives the dignity and security they deserve”, Boris Johnson has said. Measures to address the long-standing issue of social care funding and reform were not included in the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday. The Queen confirmed proposals will […]

Peers have defeated the government in demanding help for an estimated 250,000 “mortgage prisoners”. The House of Lords backed by 273 votes to 235, majority 38, a change to the Financial Services Bill, which would require the regulator to introduce an interest rate cap for affected households. It would also ensure in some cases access […]

There remain “substantial barriers” for UK trade with Europe, with small businesses bearing the brunt of the post-Brexit strain, according to peers. A report by the House of Lords’ EU Goods Sub-Committee has warned small firms are “feeling the squeeze” since the Brexit deal with Brussels came into force in January. The committee is calling […]

Touring could become “prohibitively bureaucratic and expensive” for musicians and other performers based in the UK because of Brexit, a committee of peers has warned. The Lords EU Services Sub-Committee also warned in a report on Wednesday that significant gaps remain for the services sector trading with the bloc, causing a prolonged period of uncertainty. […]

MPs can “send a signal” to China and “give hope” to victims of human rights abuses by supporting a House of Lords amendment to the post-Brexit Trade Bill, a former Conservatives leader said. The government will seek in the Commons to overturn the amendment which would limit its ability to strike agreements with countries involved […]

Reverend Nicholas Baines has called on the government to launch a public education campaign on notions of sovereignty following Britain’s exit from the EU. Speaking in House of Lords, Reverend Baines asked why “pooled sovereignty” with the EU was considered unworkable for the UK but not when it is pooled with the United States. “Notions of sovereignty […]

Tory peer Lord Freud has agreed to apologise after being found to have breached the Code of Conduct by seeking to interfere in a legal decision. The Lords Commissioner for Standards, Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, found there was “an inherent dishonour in Lord Freud choosing to leverage his position as a parliamentarian to seek to influence the […]

The government has been defeated a second time over its post-Brexit trade bill. The legislation would allow the UK government to forge new agreements with other countries after leaving the EU. But opponents want to see parliament given a bigger role, with a former Tory minister leading calls for ministers to publish draft negotiating objectives to […]

Baroness Buscombe has been compared to a Red Dwarf character and British pop band Queen following her “floating head” appearance during a Lords Zoom call. Buscombe, a Tory peer, gave a statement about the Covid vaccine roll-out, calling on the next batch of doses to be given to the clinically vulnerable under 70. But the statement drew […]

Touring musicians and road crews have been “betrayed” by the government in the Brexit trade deal, the Lords has been told. Liberal Democrat Lord Strasburger urged ministers to apologise for having “screwed up” negotiations and come back with nothing. Leading musicians have criticised the government’s Brexit deal for not including visa-free travel for musicians, with […]

The UK’s role in a diplomatic row with the EU over the status of the bloc’s ambassador in London has been branded “vindictive” and “offensive” in the Lords. Foreign office minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon said the government continued to engage with the EU on the long-term arrangements for the EU delegation. Lord Ahmad told […]

Westminster’s tumultuous scenes of recent years have underlined a need for change in the way parliament operates. MEG RUSSELL and DANIEL GOVER offer a solution. The last few years have been turbulent ones in the House of Commons. First over Brexit, then over Covid-19, tensions between the government and parliament have run exceptionally high. This was […]

Boris Johnson is under pressure to control a potential rebellion as senior Tory MPs plan to support a move to outlaw trade deals with countries that are committing genocide. The government is seeking to reverse key amendments to the Trade Bill passed by the House of Lords when the legislation returns to the Commons on […]

Dominic Raab has faced Tory pressure to develop new measures to block trade deals with countries found to have committed genocide. The foreign secretary told MPs he rejected a cross-party amendment made by peers to the Trade Bill, describing it as “well-meaning” but also “rather ineffective and counter-productive”. The House of Lords changed the proposed […]

A Brexiteer peer has accused politicians in the House of Lords who tried to block Brexit of “lacking the imagination to see life beyond Brussels”. Claire Fox, a former Brexit Party MEP, said such peers also shared with US president Donald Trump a “refusal to give losers’ consent”, and warned voters may look at “unelected lawmakers […]

TIM WALKER on frustrations in the House of Lords, Boris Johnson’s messy office and the latest Gina Miller pile-on. As the nation learns of Boris Johnson‘s New Year’s honours list, spare a thought for Norman Fowler – the Lord Speaker – who not so long ago set up the Burns committee to reduce the number of members of the […]

A column by Boris Johnson accusing Labour of the “putrefaction of the honours system” has re-emerged hours after he ennobled a former Tory donor against the advice of the peerage watchdog. Peter Cruddas was one of 16 new peers appointed by Downing Street on Monday in an announcement that was slipped out after MPs had returned home for Christmas. […]

Boris Johnson has overruled the peerage watchdog to make former Tory treasurer Peter Cruddas a life peer. The move went against the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Committee. A statement posted on the gov.uk website said: “The House of Lords Appointments Commission was invited by the prime minister to undertake vetting of all party […]