Battle of the blue bloods
Sir Keir Starmer is bracing for a bruising bust-up with Britain’s aristocracy as Labour pushes to finally boot hereditary peers out of the House of Lords.
Ninety-one of the titled toffs, some tracing their family trees back to William the Conqueror, still get to vote on Britain’s laws.
But Starmer’s new bill would end centuries of inherited privilege and see them turfed off the red leather benches for good.
Tories dig in
The Tories are fuming – and no wonder. They’ve got 44 of the 91 blue-bloods, compared with Labour’s measly four. Last month, the Conservatives pulled off a surprise win in the Lords, amending the bill to let the hereditaries stay on as life peers.
Labour is vowing to overturn that move when Parliament returns in September. But insiders warn it could spark guerrilla warfare in the chamber, with Tory lords ready to stall Starmer’s future laws.
Lord Strathclyde, one of the most senior Conservative peers, fumed: “They are cutting out more than 40 Tory peers with nothing in return. What else do they expect? Do they think we will lie back and have our tummies tickled?”
Ping-pong showdown
Labour’s Baroness Angela Smith insists the party won’t budge. “It goes against our manifesto, the decision of the Commons and public opinion,” she said. That sets up a fiery round of parliamentary “ping-pong”, with the bill bouncing between Commons and Lords until one side caves.
The Tories are determined to fight. On voting day, more than 280 peers turned out – including Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and House of Cards author Michael Dobbs – after being treated to a film about Margaret Thatcher to gee them up.
History lesson
The House of Lords is already stuffed with 832 members, most appointed by political patronage. Tony Blair axed over 660 hereditary lords in the 1990s but struck a backroom deal to let a rump remain.
Starmer has pledged to “finish the job”. His government says it’s about democracy, fairness and slimming down a bloated chamber. Critics say it’s about cutting out Tory votes.
Lord Strathclyde warned Labour was “playing with fire” and even suggested Britain would condemn another country for pulling the same stunt. Dobbs added: “We should say, ‘Thank you for your service’,” insisting the toffs had done “an exceptional job” for 800 years.
Reform or revenge?
Behind the bluster lies raw politics. Removing the hereditaries would hit Tory influence hard. Some believe Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, may try to reappoint some as life peers later, but that would leave many grandees out in the cold.
With Nigel Farage lurking on the sidelines and ready to exploit public anger at Westminster, Starmer’s gamble could prove risky. But for now, the Labour leader looks ready for a showdown with the aristocracy – one that could shape the Lords, and British politics, for generations.
