Rewiring politics: The danger of ill-considered House of Lords reform blowing a constitutional fuseThe Lord Speaker’s first major speech since his election🔒 SSL Verified

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"At a time when democracy is under growing pressure, a resilient and effective Parliament matters more than ever. The Hansard Society is the UK’s independent charity dedicated to strengthening Parliament. As Westminster's "critical friend", we provide insight into how Parliament works, why it matters, and how it can be more effective. Founded in 1944 as a non-partisan membership organisation, the Society's first members were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. We receive no public funding from Government or Parliament. Our independence – and our impact – depend on the support of our members and donors. Join us or donate to help safeguard and strengthen parliamentary democracy for the future."

"In his first major public speech Lord Forsyth said that anyone advocating wholesale reform of the House of Lords must reflect carefully on how that reform could affect the House’s ability to perform its work. If not, he warned that they would risk blowing “a constitutional fuse”. He emphasised the House of Lords’ role in scrutinising and improving the “half-formed” legislation sent to it by MPs. Lord Forsyth acknowledged the need for reform of the appointments process, better geographical balance, independent vetting of political nominees, and a restriction on the Prime Minister’s power to nominate unlimited peers."

"The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – the bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales – fell at the close of the 2024-2026 parliamentary session, after running out of time in the House of Lords. Attention has now shifted to whether the bill could return in the next session and, if so, whether it could be enacted using the procedures set out in the Parliament Act. This briefing explains the Parliament Act procedure, examines previous uses of the Act and the procedural lessons that may be drawn from them, and looks at the constitutional issues involved."

"The Government is seeking Parliament's approval for £1.5 trillion of departmental spending this financial year. MPs will debate the Government's Main Estimates – its annual spending plans – later this month. Our Guide to the Estimates Cycle explains how the process works and why these debates matter."

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