Finance
UK ends centuries-old hereditary seats in Parliament upper chamber
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 11, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 11, 2026
Quick Summary
UK Parliament’s House of Lords has approved the Hereditary Peers Bill, ending the remaining 92 hereditary seats and concluding a reform process started in 1999.
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Peers in House of Lords With Key Reform
Historic Legislation Removes Aristocratic Seats from the Upper Chamber
By Sam Tabahriti
LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - Britain's parliament has approved legislation to remove the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords, ending a centuries-old system of aristocratic seats in the upper chamber that the government says should not be secured by birth.
The House of Lords passed the Hereditary Peers Bill on Tuesday evening, fulfilling a reform launched more than 25 years ago and a key manifesto pledge from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government to modernise the upper chamber.
Government Perspective and Next Steps
Angela Smith, the leader of the upper chamber, said in a statement on Tuesday that the Lords played a "vital role within our bicameral parliament, but nobody should sit in the House by virtue of an inherited title".
Further Reforms Planned
"Getting this bill through is a major first step towards reform of the Lords, with further changes to follow - including on members' retirement and participation requirements," she added.
Background: Blair's Unfinished Reform
The 1999 Compromise
BLAIR'S UNFINISHED REFORM
Before the reform, 92 hereditary peers could still sit and vote in the upper chamber, a number retained as an interim compromise after more than 600 were removed in 1999 under Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, who had labelled the hereditary system an "anachronism".
Conservative Party Nominations
Under the system, around 15 Conservative hereditary peers would secure life peerages, and it will be up to the party to decide whom to nominate.
Composition and Criticism of the House of Lords
The ornate red and gold chamber in the Palace of Westminster currently has about 800 members in total, mostly appointed for life by the prime minister on the advice of political parties or an independent commission, alongside Church of England bishops and, until now, some by birthright.
Calls for Further Overhaul
Critics have long called for an overhaul of the appointments system, saying it had led to cronyism and created the largest upper chamber in the world, larger than the 650 elected members of parliament who sit in the lower house.
Legislative Powers of the Lords
The Lords can amend but not block legislation, and changes it makes to bills can be overruled by the elected lower chamber.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Kate Holton and Alex Richardson)
Key Takeaways
- •Hereditary peers—around 92—will lose their automatic seats when the parliamentary session ends; life peerages offered to some Conservatives and cross‑benchers as compromise (gov.uk)
- •The bill fulfils a key Labour manifesto pledge and completes a reform begun under Tony Blair that had left 92 hereditary peers as an interim measure (gov.uk)
- •Only ceremonial hereditary roles such as the Earl Marshal and Lord Great Chamberlain retain duties but no longer sit automatically; full abolition aligns the UK with other democracies, leaving the Lords as a wholly appointed chamber (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about UK ends centuries-old hereditary seats in parliament upper chamber
1What change was approved by the UK parliament regarding hereditary peers?
The UK parliament approved legislation to remove the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords, ending aristocratic seats in the upper chamber.
2How many hereditary peers were previously allowed to sit in the House of Lords?
Before the reform, 92 hereditary peers could still sit and vote in the House of Lords.
3Why did the UK government decide to end hereditary peerages in the Lords?
The government argued that no one should sit in the House of Lords by virtue of an inherited title, aiming to modernise the chamber.
4Who led the push for the new legislation to remove hereditary peers?
The reform was a key manifesto pledge from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government and supported by Angela Smith, leader of the upper chamber.
5What role does the House of Lords play in UK legislation?
The House of Lords can amend but not block legislation, and its changes can be overruled by the elected lower chamber.
