Hereditary Peers Bill passes Lords

The Hereditary Peers Bill has passed in the House of Lords, meaning hereditary peers will no longer have the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

The House of Lords is one of only two legislative bodies in the world that still contains a hereditary element. While over 600 hereditary peers were removed from the Lords in the House of Lords Act 1999, 92 were retained as an interim measure.

The Bill will come into effect at the end of this Parliament.

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.

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: "Hereditary peerages are an archaic and undemocratic principle. I am proud that we have fulfilled a key manifesto pledge of this government.

"Our Parliament should always be a place where talents are recognised and merit counts. It should never be a gallery of old boys’ networks, nor a place where titles, many of which were handed out centuries ago, hold power over the will of the people."