Over 140 new peers added under last government, bloating upper chamber to unsustainable size
THE ELECTORAL REFORM SOCIETY has criticised Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list, saying it pushes the already oversized House of Lords further past breaking point.
The list, announced earlier today, sees seven new appointments – bringing the total number of peers created under the last three Conservative prime ministers to 149. Of those, 71 were appointed by Boris Johnson, 32 by Liz Truss, and 46 by Mr Sunak.
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “Trust in our politics has slumped to record lows. Yet today the public is again witnessing the spectacle of a former prime minister stuffing more friends and allies into the already ludicrously bloated House of Lords – handing each one a job for life in Parliament.
“This ‘jobs for mates’ culture at Westminster will do nothing to repair the alarming collapse in public trust.”
At over 800 members, the House of Lords is now the second-largest legislative chamber in the world – exceeded only by China’s National People’s Congress.
The ERS warned that, with the current government needing to match or surpass previous appointments in order to maintain a majority in the Lords, the unelected chamber could balloon further still.
“Even when the remaining 88 hereditary peers are finally removed, it won’t make a dent,” said Mr Hughes. “Not while prime ministers have a free hand to shovel allies into the Lords with no limit or public accountability.”
Calling for urgent reform, the Society is backing the creation of a smaller, democratic second chamber.
Mr Hughes added: “Those sitting in the House of Lords shape the laws that affect every person in this country. That’s why they should be chosen by – and accountable to – the people.”
Polling highlights collapse in trust
Recent research from the National Centre for Social Research shows that 45% of the public now say they “almost never” trust governments of any party to prioritise the needs of the nation over party interests – the highest figure since the question was first asked in 1986.
Breakdown of peerages by PM:
| Prime Minister | Peers appointed* |
|---|---|
| Boris Johnson | 71 |
| Liz Truss | 32 |
| Rishi Sunak | 46 |
| Total | 149 |
*Figures exclude appointments made via the House of Lords Appointments Commission. Resignation honours are attributed to the PM who made the nominations, even if confirmed by their successor.
