Hereditary peers' last hurrah as 700-year-old system abolished
The remaining 92 hereditary peers have left the House of Lords as a law abolishing their right to sit in Parliament took effect, marking the end of a centuries-old tradition. The move fulfills a commitment in Labour's 2024 election manifesto, though 15 Conservative hereditary peers will remain as life peers to ensure continuity. Lord Forsyth and other figures acknowledged the historical significance of the change, while some departing peers expressed sadness and concern over increased political patronage.
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Hereditary peers' last hurrah as 700-year-old system abolished5 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJennifer McKiernan,Political reporterandJoshua Nevett,Political reporterGetty ImagesHereditary peers in the House of Lords have left their red leather benches for the final time.The majority of such peers, who inherit their titles through their families, lost the right to sit in the Lords in 1999, but 92 remained after a compromise deal with the Conservatives. Now the bell has tolled for those doomed hereditaries too, with a law to remove their seats taking effect as the current session of Parliament ended earlier.Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, the Lord Speaker, thanked them for their service, in a speech marking the end of nearly a thousand years of British parliamentary…
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