FILE – Members of the House of Commons and Lords during the State Opening of Parliament, in the House of Lords, in London, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP, File)[/caption]
SIR Keir Starmer wants to pack the House of Lords with 200 more Labour peers – despite previously pledging to abolish the Chamber, party insiders have said.
Lords during the State Opening of Parliament[/caption]
During his leadership campaign in 2022, Sir Keir vowed to get rid of the Lords to “restore trust in politics”.
But now he is plotting to massively beef up his ranks so he gets a majority and can ram his legislation through both Houses of Parliament.
He is already pushing through plans to get rid of hereditary peers – who are overwhelmingly Tory.
A Labour insider said: “Downing Street wants lots more peers who actually turn up, do the work and will get legislation through.
“They are looking for 200 peers.”
The Lords already has a staggering 805 members – making it the biggest parliamentary Chamber in the world apart from Communist China.
Just 186 of them are Labour. The Tories have 273.
Most of the rest are crossbench or non affiliated peers – who do not have a party loyalty.
If Sir Keir stuffs it with another 200 appointees then Britain would have an eye-popping 1,000 peers.
Another party insider said: “We definitely want a lot more peers.”
A No10 spokeswoman said she does “not recognise” the number.
The Labour manifesto promised to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the Lords and force all peers to retire at 80.
