Labour has announced plans to remove peers who do not contribute sufficiently to the House of Lords, alongside introducing a mandatory retirement age of 80. The proposals were outlined by the Leader of the House of Lords, Angela Smith, in an article for The Telegraph.
Lady Smith stated that the abolition of the remaining 86 hereditary peers, which is expected to pass through Parliament this year, is "by no means the limit of the government's Lords reform ambitions." She confirmed that a select committee will be established to consider the next phase of reform, including a participation requirement and the retirement age.
The cross-party committee will explore how to implement these changes, with Smith emphasising the need for a "collaborative way forward." She noted that most peers agree the current membership is too high and that some rarely attend, but cautioned that a simple measure of speaking contributions would not fairly assess participation, as much valuable work occurs in committees.
Smith wrote that the retirement age would be introduced gradually to "avoid any possible cliff-edge moment." She expressed a desire to act quickly to deliver the government's reforms, stating, "Most peers do not want these issues kicked into the long grass." The committee will also consider whether legislation is needed or if changes can be made without it.
