house of lords

• 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