The House of Lords, the UK’s Upper Chamber, has been embroiled in a scandal over conflicts of interest, with one in 10 members receiving paid advice from commercial interests. A Guardian investigation has exposed weaknesses in the code of conduct, sparking calls for greater reform and transparency.
There are growing concerns over the rules that allow members of the House of Lords to be paid for political advice alongside their work as lawmakers. A months-long investigation by The Guardian has exposed weaknesses in the code of conduct, raising questions about whether the rules on lobbying and paid employment should be tightened.
The House of Lords is the upper chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
It has existed in various forms since the 13th century and plays a crucial role in the country's legislative process.
Comprising over 800 members, including bishops, hereditary peers, and life peers, the House of Lords reviews and revises bills passed by the lower house, the House of Commons.
The chamber also scrutinizes government policies and provides a platform for debate and discussion on key issues.
One in 10 Peers Paid for Political Advice: According to their own declarations, one in ten members of the House of Lords have been hired to give political or policy advice. Others do paid work for companies that could conflict with their role as legislators. This has sparked calls for greater reform and increased transparency in the institution.
The Extent of Commercial Interests: The investigation sheds new light on the extent to which money flows into politics from those who hold peerages or go on to secure them. Over £100m has been given to the three main parties over the last two decades, much of it by a small group of influential super-donors.
Money plays a significant role in politics, influencing election outcomes and policy decisions.
According to the Federal Election Commission, over $14 billion was spent on US elections between 2008 and 2018.
Special interest groups and corporations often contribute large sums to politicians' campaigns, potentially leading to biased decision-making.
A study by the Center for Responsive Politics found that lawmakers who receive more campaign contributions from industries tend to support policies benefiting those industries.
Reform Efforts Fall Short: Labour has promised some changes, but there are calls for more ambitious reforms to an institution that Keir Starmer has previously described as ‘indefensible’. ‘The Lords should not be a political gated community filled with party donors, as well as friends and supporters of various prime ministers. These revelations again underscore the urgent need for Lords reform so there is far greater transparency and accountability to guard against conflicts of interest.’ said Darren Hughes, the chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society.
The House of Lords, the upper chamber of the UK Parliament, has undergone significant reforms since its inception.
Originally composed of hereditary peers, it was reformed in 1999 to include elected and appointed members.
The 2014 reforms introduced a hybrid system, with 92 hereditary peers remaining alongside elected and appointed members.
Reforms aim to increase representation and accountability, while maintaining the chamber's unique role in scrutinizing legislation.
The Current State of the House of Lords: The House of Lords has ballooned to 835 members after a succession of prime ministers packed the house with donors and party loyalists. Many members make a valuable contribution, but their numbers have raised concerns about equal representation and accountability.
Calls for Greater Transparency: A quarter of a century after Tony Blair tried to reform the Lords by banishing most hereditary peers in 1999, there had been hopes that Starmer would use Labour’s return to government to cut the size of the house or replace it with a more representative chamber. However, further changes promised in the Labour manifesto are yet to take shape.
The Need for Stricter Rules: Peers receive expenses rather than a salary like MPs and often hold outside roles without generally having to declare how much they are paid. After a 2021 lobbying scandal exposed by The Guardian, MPs are now banned from working as parliamentary strategists or consultants and cannot advise on ‘public policy’ and how parliament works in general. However, this was not extended to the Lords.
The Future of Reform: With Reform UK riding high in the polls, there has been speculation that Nigel Farage‘s party could seek to get some peers, especially if it wins further seats at the next election. The Green party, which has one fewer MP, has two peers on the red benches. Any deal or pact with the Conservatives at the next election could include an attempt to follow Donald Trump’s example of appointing high-profile figures to run government departments from the Lords.
