Peers today demanded a long-awaited shake-up of the House of Lords – after Britain emerges from the coronavirus crisis. Calls have been mounting for a major overhaul of the unelected chamber, which has about 800 members.
One prominent peer, former Lord Speaker Baroness Hayman, said numbers on the red benches should be capped. Speaking in a debate over video link, the independent peer urged ministers to draw-up plans for a revamp once the Covid-19 pandemic eases.
Calling for the Government to “consider putting a cap on the size of the House”, she admitted: “Reducing the size of the House is obviously not a priority for the moment.