MP presses for ‘modest’ peers reform

Tory MP Dan Byles will kick off debate on the House of Lords Reform (No 2) Bill with cross party support on Friday morning, reopening legislative work on reforming the upper house for the first time since Nick Clegg’s attempt to elect peers collapsed last year.

Ministers have indicated probable backing for the Bill, which is similar to a proposal by Lord Steel which passed the scrutiny of peers but failed to make the statute book.

North Warwickshire and Bedworth MP Mr Byles said: “Nobody is pretending this is going to be hugely radical in any way – it’s simple, it’s modest but I believe it is necessary. In effect, three things are going to happen as a result of this Bill. For the first time, peers will be able to retire or resign voluntarily from the upper House – it is an anachronism that people who do not want to be there, who don’t turn up, receive a summons at the start of every Parliament.

“It allows the House of Lords to remove peers for non-attendance. If a peer does not attend for an entire session, and doesn’t have an agreed leave of absence, they can be removed. And probably the most important bit is about removing criminals. All this does is bring it into line with current convention in the House of Commons – a peer who is convicted of a serious criminal offence, where they are sentenced to prison for more than a year, will be removed.”