After 700 years of serving as the UK’s unelected upper chamber, hereditary aristocrats will finally be removed from the House of Lords. The change was approved by Parliament after a lengthy process, with most members agreeing that an archaic system where titles hold power over the people’s will is undemocratic.
Critics have long argued that the House of Lords is unwieldy and unfair, with some members, including Peter Mandelson, facing scandals that tarnished the chamber’s reputation. The current membership includes more than 800 members, but roughly 1 in 10 are hereditary peers.
The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has introduced legislation to remove these members, allowing them to be “recycled” into life peers or leaving the chamber altogether. The change will be formalized once King Charles III grants royal assent, and most hereditary peers will leave at the end of the current session.
While some historians acknowledge the contributions made by hereditary peers, they also note that many were flawed individuals who served their nation faithfully but with flaws. As one opposition Conservative Party leader stated, “Many thousands of peers served their nation here and thousands of improvements to law were made.”
Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/03/11/g-s1-113300/britain-parliament-hereditary-house-of-lords-aristocrats-duke-earl-viscount