A cross-party committee has proposed new rules for the UK House of Lords, requiring peers to attend at least 20 percent of sitting days and face a phased retirement at age 80. These proposals come as Andy Burnham prepares to become prime minister.
These proposed reforms aim to modernize the U.K.'s unelected upper chamber and could provide an early legislative win for the incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham, potentially streamlining parliamentary business.
Members of the U.K. House of Lords will be required to attend parliament more often and retire at 80 under new proposals put forward by a cross-party committee. Peers would have to attend at least 20 percent of sitting days in a session, while an age limit of 80 would be phased in over five years. These plans were drawn up after an inquiry into Britain’s upper chamber chaired by Labour peer Ann Taylor. The proposals come at a time when Andy Burnham is preparing to take over as prime minister. Hereditary peers were expelled from parliament earlier this year under legislation brought in by Keir Starmer. Critics have long argued that the upper chamber, whose membership is based on appointment rather than election, is an anachronism. The proposed reforms are seen as a potential early success for Burnham, who has advocated for replacing the House of Lords with an elected body. If peers agree to the changes voluntarily, it could save Burnham’s administration the task of passing new legislation. The committee considered asking members to sign a voluntary agreement to abide by the rules on attendance and retirement to avoid passing a new bill.