Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said on Monday that he would abolish the unelected and “indefensible” House of Lords if brought to power during the next election, scheduled to take place at the latest by January 2025.
Delivering a public address in Leeds, Starmer said he wants to replace the second chamber of parliament with “an elected chamber that has a really strong mission.” He highlighted that the United Kingdom (UK) is “one of the most centralised systems in Europe,” noting that this has held the country back by “[hoarding] power in Westminster.”
The opposition leader declared that the scrapping of the upper house would be the “biggest-ever transfer of power from [the British Parliament] to the British people,” particularly as a majority of the country voted in favour of exiting the European Union to regain democratic control over decision making.
To this end, the Labour Party blueprint, titled “A New Britain,” recommends that the body replacing the House of Lords must be a “smaller, more representative and democratic” structure.
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— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) December 5, 2022
A New Britain: Renewing our democracy and rebuilding our economy ⬇️ https://t.co/0j87q9GwQI
The Labour Party leader said he would achieve this vision by introducing two stages of reforms. Firstly, he would cut the over 800-member chamber in half, as it is becoming challenging to organise meetings with such a large number of people. Secondly, he would discuss reform within the House of Lords to make it more democratic and make them “more engaged in legislation.”
The 900-year-old House of Lords acts as a “second pair of eyes” in the Parliament. It reviews, scrutinises, and checks laws passed by the elected legislators in the House of Commons. It also has the power to constitute select committees to look into legal changes as well as broader social and political issues.
The 800-member House of Lords largely comprises political nominees, hereditary nobles, and Church of England bishops called “peers.” The composition of the body is determined by PMs and opposition parties, making the appointments politically motivated rather than merit-based.
My Labour government will place power in the hands of cities and regions across Britain.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 5, 2022
We will match the ambitions of people across the country to reignite our economy and build a better future. pic.twitter.com/FDMHguLdJu
Critics have also questioned the inclusion of 25 Bishops, the senior-most members of the Church of England, particularly given that the most recent census in England and Wales showed that Christians account for less than 50% of the population.
The issue of hereditary peers has also ignited controversy, as legislators have their titles passed down by their families.
Furthermore, while women have been allowed to take the seat since 1958, they can only acquire the title if there are no eligible brothers for the position. Concerningly, all 92 hereditary peers are men.
To this end, Tony Blair sought to remove hereditary peers from the House of Lords. While the peers did not pass the change in its original form, the accepted amendment capped the number of hereditary peers at 92. However, the House of Lords retained the old rules for eligibility for these positions.
Since then, all attempts to reform the House of Lords have failed.
Labour is the party of change and will build a stronger Scotland in a transformed UK.
— Neil Bibby 🇺🇦 (@NeilBibby) December 5, 2022
Keir Starmer, Anas Sarwar and Gordon Brown today setting out a bold package of reform, including protecting social rights, devolving power to communities and abolishing the House of Lords. pic.twitter.com/VDGbjbO4PQ
The Labour Party’s blueprint seeks significant constitutional changes and was drafted by Gordon Brown, the country’s most recent Scottish and Labour Party PM.
Brown played a significant role in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum and campaigned for the country to remain in the union. Calls for independence have gained momentum once again, with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declaring the next UK general election as a “de facto referendum.”
In light of recent calls for another independence referendum in Scotland, Brown has recommended a greater devolution of powers to the Parliament in Edinburgh, such as the ability to enter into international agreements. The regions will also be given additional powers to decide on infrastructure, housing, and earning and spending money.
According to Brown, these changes will help curb the support for Scottish independence, claiming, “That’s going to be the debate from now on in – not independence versus the status quo, but change within Britain versus change by leaving Britain.”
The blueprint, which Starmer said the Labour Party would implement within five years of being elected, presents 40 recommendations, including restructuring 50,000 civil service jobs outside London.
It also recommends setting up a new anti-corruption commissioner to address malpractice by members of parliament, including restrictions on legislators having second jobs.
the report says the only exemptions for MPs' second jobs would be areas like medicine where work is needed to maintain professional membership
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) December 5, 2022
The Labour Party has chosen to take a less divisive stand on Brexit, despite the evident impact the UK’s breakaway from the bloc has had on trade, supply chains, and the economy as a whole.
The centre-left Party has insisted that it will not seek to revamp ties with the EU or rejoin the bloc. However, Starmer said that he would seek to improve relations with the EU and seek a “better deal,” as the current one is not “working properly.”
The Labour Party has not yet adopted the blueprint as a formal policy. The Party will now place it before the public for any recommendations before it is then adopted as its election manifesto.
While the Labour Party has not come into power since 2010, its popularity has surged over the past few months given the political scandals that have characterised the Conservative Party’s rule, including the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing economic crisis. The Tories currently have their third PM in office since securing victory in the 2019 general election.