The House of Lords is the upper house of the UK Parliament, made up of appointed or elected members. It has three types of members: life peers, bishops, and hereditary peers. The House of Lords can block legislation and introduce its own. It underwent major reforms in the 20th century, reducing its power. Today, it forms committees and watchdog groups to oversee the UK government. There are about 740 members, including life peers, Lords Spiritual, and elected hereditary peers.
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK). The House of Commons forms the other half of Parliament. While the House of Commons is filled with elected officials, called Members of Parliament (MPs), the House of Lords is made up of internally appointed or elected members. There are three types of members in the House of Lords: life peers, bishops and hereditary peers. Bills must be approved by both houses before they can be presented for royal assent and be signed into law. While the House of Commons initiates most legislation, the House of Lords also has this ability. Mostly, however, the Lords discuss politics and act as part of a system of checks and balances for the British government.
The House of Lords dates back to the 14th century, when groups of political, religious, noble leaders and advisers to the English king united in parliamentary government. For many centuries, the House was built on an aristocratic model of patronage, where new peers simply inherited the position from family members. Up until the 20th century, Lords often wielded great political power, holding high political office who had the power to reject most bills introduced by the House of Commons.
Over the course of the 20th century, the House of Lords underwent major reforms. His power changed dramatically when the Parliament Act 1911 reduced the ability of the Lords to reject legislation from the House of Commons. Much later, in 1997, the House of Lords underwent another major overhaul, when Prime Minister Tony Blair successfully passed legislation that ended the House’s ability to transfer hereditary appointments.
Although the House of Lords is not as powerful as it once was – it has far less influence than the House of Commons – and is now a mostly appointed house, it still plays an important role in Parliament. The House retains some ability to block legislation from the House of Commons and holds debates on proposed amendments. Like the House of Commons, it has the power to introduce its own legislation. It also forms committees and watchdog groups that help oversee the UK government internally. Today the house has about 740 members.
There are three types of Lords who sit in the House. Life Peers are appointed directly by the Queen, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. These offices last only for the life of the Lord Peer and cannot be passed on to offspring. A small group of Church of England bishops and archbishops, sometimes called Lords Spiritual, also have a seat in the house. The third type is elected hereditary peers. Although hereditary peers were banned in the late 1990s, 92 internally elected hereditary peers have been allowed to hold seats until Parliament enacts another set of reforms.
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