Parliament
Lords
Reforms to the Lords:
Salisbury-Addison Convention:
In May, 2015, the government introduced the European Union Referendum Act into the Commons,
delivering on a promise to hold a referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU in its manifesto. It was
subsequently approved by the Lords in December, without rejection
The 2003 Sexual Offences Act lowered the age of consent for same-sex couples to 16 from 18, and was
not blocked by the Lords despite concerns regarding same-sex relationships
Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 (below)
1999 House of Lords Act:
In 1999 The Countess of Mar received 570 votes from the entire House of Lords, allowing her to remain
as one of the 92 hereditary peers after the bill was passed, making her the Lord with the most support
This reduced the membership of the House of Lords from 1330 to 669 and also significantly altered the
party balance. For example, Pre-1999 42% of members were Conservative, vs 31% after.
Lords being weak:
Commons forcing through legislation/Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949:
In 2004, the Commons forced the Hunting Act through parliament to become law. Speaker of the House
of Commons, Michael Martin, invoked the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 after an agreement was not
reached. The House of Lords was criticised for undemocratically blocking the bill and the act came into
force on the 18th of February 2005.
In 2000, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, which equalised the age of consent for male homosexual
sexual activities with that for heterosexual and female homosexual sexual activities at 16, was forced
through after the Lords continued to block it after a concerted campaign by conservative peer Baroness
Young.
PM having too much power over appointments:
,In December 2022 Boris Johnson nominated Peter Cruddas, a long time Tory party donor of a total of
more than £3 million, for a peerage, overruling the Lords Appointments Commission, being the first PM
to do so.
The ‘Cash for Honours’ scandal arose in 2006 after Blair was accused of nominating candidates for
peerages after donating to the Labour party. For example, Sir Christopher Evans, a wealthy biotech
entrepreneur, was nominated for a peerage after donating more than £1 million to the Labour Party
Despite resigning after 44 days in office due to controversial tax cut plans which caused market turmoil,
Liz Truss has the right and is expected to issue a resignation honours list .
Lords being powerful/useful:
Preventing passage of bills:
The Lords defeated the European Union referendum bill in January 2014 by filibustering it, dragging out
debates with amendments so this it run out of time to complete its committee stage before the end of
the parliamentary year
The University College London’s constitution unit examined 406 government defeats in the Lords
between 1999 and 2012, and found that government ultimately accepted 44% of them
Specialist Knowledge
In 2010 Baroness Grey-Thompson was created a Life Peer, after being a Paralympian due to her spina
bifida. She uses her peerage to challenge the government and provide insights on disability rights. For
example, she was an outspoken critic of the ‘bedroom tax’, which would have removed benefits from
families using a spare bedroom to support a disabled person.
In 2005, Robert Winston was appointed as a Labour Lord. He is one of the world’s foremost authorities
on IVF, embryology and fertility. He has a wide background in medicine and contributes on an enormous
amount of scientific issues within the Lords.
Between 2011 and 2014 Robert Rogers was the clerk of the House of Commons, Making him the senior
constitutional expert in the UK. Thus, upon his retirement he was appointed to the House of Lords
Amending bills:
The Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill was rejected and passed back to the Commons 14 times in 2021,
stopping four government ideas becoming law. Many of them being major modifications, for example
the removal of a 51-week prison sentence for obstruction of major transport works
,In 2012, the Lords made 374 amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill. These were all agreed by
the Commons, and the bill received Royal Assent in 2012
Peers not appointed by PM
There are 26 religious peers who are bishops from the church of England, including Justin Welby, the
Archbishop of Canterbury
In 1999 The Countess of Mar received 570 votes from the entire House of Lords, allowing her to remain
as one of the 92 hereditary peers after the bill was passed, making her the Lord with the most support
Unrepresentative:
A report released by Parliament in June 2016, claims that 6.4% of the Lords were ethnic minorities
compared with 13% of the population
As of March 2017, there were 207 female Peers in the House of Lords, 25% of the 804 sitting total
(compared to 34% of MPs, a record high and 220 women).
Lords Appointments Committee
In 2020, Tom Watson’s peerage was rejected by the Lords vetting commission. Asked about the case of
Watson, the spokesman again stressed this was a matter for the commission but added: “There is no
automatic entitlement to a peerage for any holder of high office.”
In December 2022 Boris Johnson nominated Peter Cruddas, a long time Tory party donor of a total of
more than £3 million, for a peerage, overruling the Lords Appointments Commission, being the first PM
to do so.
Commons:
Party discipline:
In September 2019 21 Conservative MPs voted against the PM, as Oliver Letwin tabled a motion to take
control of Parliamentary business away from the government. As a result, under Johnson’s advice, Chief
whip Mark Spencer removed the whip from 21 Conservative MPs, actually removing their majority.
On the 9th of July 2018, Boris Johnson, along with 35 other ministers, resigned as Foreign Secretary from
Theresa May’s Government saying that he could not accept her Chequers Plan and withdrawal deal from
the EU.
Party Rebellion:
, In September 2019 21 Conservative MPs voted against the PM despite warnings, as Oliver Letwin tabled
a motion to take control of Parliamentary business away from the government. As a result, under
Johnson’s advice, Chief whip Mark Spencer removed the whip from 21 Conservative MPs, removing their
majority.
In 2013 Oct, Cameron agreed to a renegotiation of UK membership, then a referendum on that, largely
because UKIP was gaining traction with their Brexit ideas, and therefore was stealing their votes.
Alongside this, MPs like Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless crossed the floor
Brexit was so contentious that, in 2010, there were 22 backbench rebellions on Europe in 17 months,
and in Oct 2011 81 Cons MPs disobeyed and voted for referendum on EU
Bills:
Private members’ bills:
In 2022 the Pets (microchips) Bill was considered after being introduced by Conservative MP James Daly,
who’s bill would’ve made it a legal requirement to check a pet for a microchip and contact its owner
before it was put down
In 2021 Labour MP Carolyn Harris put forward a Ballot Bill which would give greater support services for
people going through menopause. She withdrew the bill in exchange for the government agreeing to
reduce the cost of Hormone Replacement Therapy Processes
Public Bills
Coronavirus Act (2020) laid out the powers that the government had to deal with the Coronavirus
Pandemic. For example, it allowed them to place regions of the country in a lockdown.
In 2021, Johnson introduced a bill regarding ‘Plan B’ measures for tackling the pandemic. This included
things like mandatory Covid passports, however 96 Conservative MPs voted against the bill, above their
79-seat majority at the time. This was then only passed thanks to Labour support.
Hybrid Bills:
The High Speed Rail Bill (Crewe to Manchester) was passed by parliament in 2021, and provides
provisions for a railway between a junction of High Speed 2 south of Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly
Station.
The Thames Tideway Tunnel Act 2017. The bill authorised the construction of a new "super sewer" to
improve the quality of the River Thames
Cross-party support:
The 2013 Marriage Act was passed in order to legalise same sex marriage and was passed with the
support of 118 Conservative MPs and 194 Labour MPs, therefore required bipartisan, parliamentary
support, not just from the majority party.
