The House of Lords has long been Britain's most anomalous constitutional feature — a 900-member unelected chamber that wields real legislative power. Reform has been promised by successive governments for over a century.
What the Bill Proposes
The government's current proposals would reduce the chamber to 600 members, remove the remaining 92 hereditary peers, and introduce a mandatory retirement age of 80.
What Reformers Want
Many reform advocates argue the proposals don't go far enough. A fully elected senate, they argue, is the only democratic solution.
What Opponents Fear
Conservatives warn that an elected upper chamber could produce gridlock and constitutional conflict with the Commons.
Our View
Britain needs a second chamber that commands democratic legitimacy. The current proposals are a step forward — but only a step.
