The House of Lords is the upper house of the UK Parliament. It is independent from the House of Commons (the lower house) and plays a significant role in proposing amendments to new legislation and challenging the actions of the government,
Membership of the House of Lords is not democratically elected but attained by inheritance (by appointment or through positions within the Church of England (26 senior bishops have the right to sit in the House of Lords). The majority of members are life peers who are appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Lords Reform remains unfinished business. In 1911 Parliament committed itself to replacing the House with a "a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis". A century on, and we’re still waiting.
What's the problem?
We believe that there is no place in a modern democratic system for an unelected second chamber. Members of the current House of Lords have real power, over policies and legislation, but they are not elected by the people who have to live by those laws.
We welcome the pledge from the coalition government to introduce a proportional system for electing a reformed upper house but already the anti-reform forces are mobilising so we will be campaigning to ensure that this important chance is not missed.
Find out more about our campaign to reform the House of Lords