house of lords

Cards (14)

  • Upper house, unelected chamber
  • Has 793 peers
  • There are 92 peers, HoL Act 1999 keeps it at this level
  • Life peers are appointed by party leaders and an appointments commission e.g. Cameron, Doreen Lawrence, Thatcher
  • Archbishops and bishops of CofE - 26 of these, ojnly religious group with automatic reprsentation
  • Lord Speaker - presides over debates in the house, currentl Baorn McFall
  • Professional politicians - junior ministers, party members etc.
  • Amateur peers - not politicians but support a political party
  • Crossbench peers - no allegiance and independent
  • Party makeup
    273 Conservative
    174 Labour
    183 cross benchers
    80 Lib Dems
  • Legislative powers
    Delay legislation (only for a year - Parliamentary acts), amend legislation (only suggestions). Cannot deal with money bills (Parliamentary acts), cannot debate on issues in gov manifesto (Salisbury Convention)
  • Scrutiny powers
    Order gov ministers (junior ministers and Cameron, foreign secretary), to answer on govn poliy and decisions, debate on issues
  • Lack democratic legitimacy, and constraine by the threat of reform/abolitin e.g. Starmer
  • Cannot dismiss government