I’ll be honest: when I first arrived in the House of Lords two years ago, I had more than a few “pinch me” moments. Sitting there, listening to the breadth of wisdom, lived experience, and sheer commitment from across the chamber — I was struck by how much of it came from hereditary peers. Yes, the ones some are so keen to get rid of.
That’s why I’m backing an amendment that gives us a bit of common sense in the midst of all the noise about reform. It’s a simple idea: if a hereditary peer is pulling their weight, showing up, making a difference — let their party nominate them for a life peerage. Keep the contributors. Lose the hangers-on. What’s not to like?
This isn’t about defending privilege. It’s about defending value. We’ve got hereditary peers in this House — from all parties — who’ve dedicated years to getting stuck into real issues. You don’t throw that away just to tick a reform box.
And here’s the bit no one talks about enough: the regions. I’m from Northern Ireland. Too often, voices like mine — and voices from Scotland, Wales, and the North of England — are in short supply in Westminster. That’s a real problem.
Hereditary peers, for all the flak they get, often come from outside the London bubble. They bring different perspectives. Real country knowledge. Ties to communities. That’s gold dust in a chamber like this — and we’d be mad to lose it.
I mentioned Lord Glentoran and Viscount Brookeborough, both from Northern Ireland, who’ve served this House with real distinction. If the hereditary system goes, I want to know party leaders and the appointments commission are going to step up and make sure people from all over the UK are still heard.
Yes, we’re not elected representatives. But that doesn’t mean where we come from doesn’t matter. It does. And the House of Lords should reflect the whole country — not just SW1.
This amendment gives us a way to modernise without wiping the slate clean. It lets us keep the voices that matter, honour experience, and, crucially, protect the diversity — of region, background and outlook — that makes this place work.
I say keep the workers, drop the window dressing. Let’s not reform ourselves into another echo chamber.