The Labour Party has reneged on its promise to legislate for the abolition of the House of Lords, according to a report in the Financial Times (FT).
The second chamber is composed of unelected “lords” for life, hereditary “lords”, bishops, legislators appointed by one of the major parties, and legislators who have bought a seat in parliament.,
The party’s “national policy forum” document, as recently as October 2023 said that the party intended that parliament “abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a second chamber . . . . with elected representatives rather than political appointees”.
Kier Starmer, leader of the party, has said that the feudal institution is “indefensible”.
Now, according to the FT, he wants just to reform the enormous anti-democratic chamber and only “eventually” to replace it.
Repeated delays to the democratisation of Britain’s parliament have become the norm, with politicians ever ready to find a reason for not making Britain’s parliament fully democratic.
If the Labour Party has a parliamentary majority after the next general election if seems likely that however long it remains in power, it will not find time to end the unwarranted privilege that “lords” and bishops have in the government of this country.