The "historic legislation" realised Labour's manifesto pledge to remove the right of all hereditary peers to sit and vote in the upper house.
Hereditary peers are set to lose their seats in the House of Lords, after the passage of a bill that will end their role in the chamber after hundreds of years, fulfilling a key pledge in the Labour Party manifesto.
In what marks a historic moment, Lords Leader Baroness Smith said the “historic legislation” realised Labour’s manifesto pledge to remove the right of all hereditary peers to sit and vote in the upper house.
“This has never been about the contribution of individuals but the underlying principle that was agreed by Parliament over 25 years ago that no-one should sit in our Parliament by way of an inherited title,” Baroness Smith said.
“Over a quarter of a century later, hereditary peers remain whilst meaningful reform has stagnated.
“We have a duty to find a way forward.”
The government confirmed it would offer life peerages to the Conservatives and crossbenchers, meaning some hereditaries are likely to remain in the Lords.
Nonetheless, up to 92 hereditary peers will leave the Lords when the current session of Parliament ends, which is expected to be in May.
The government says that the passage of the Bill completes a process started a quarter of a century ago to remove the hereditary principle from the House of Lords and bring the UK into line with other 21st century democracies.
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”.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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