Major reforms for life peers
Monday, 20 July 2009 12:00 AM
By Liz Stephens
Life peers will be given the right to resign, in swingeing reforms published by the House of Lords today.
The measure, which was included in the constitutional reform bill, means peers, such as Lord Mandelson, would be free to abdicate their titles to stand as MP's and take up more senior government posts.
Although Lord Mandelson is the government's first secretary, the jobs of foreign secretary, chancellor of the exchequer or prime minister are currently unattainable for an unelected peer.
Lord Mandelson was asked only last month if he would renounce his peerage and stand again as an MP during an interview with the Financial Times. He said: "It's not legally possible to do that. I am trapped. I believe it is for life."
But, in a self-fulfilling prophecy, the peer, added: "Of course, you could always change the law."
Hereditary peers have been able to resign from the Lords since 1963.
Other major Lords reforms in the bill include the end of the hereditary principle.
A total of 92 hereditary peers survived the first phase of Lords reform during Tony Blair's tenure but government sources have said that additions to the bill will finish the job.
Hereditary peers are currently replaced when one of their number dies, keeping their numbers level but the bill would end this system, meaning the number of hereditary peers will gradually dwindle to none.
MPs voted in 2007 for a fully elected upper house.
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