Proposals for reform of the UK’s House of Lords are in the news. In the wake of a report by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Labour leader and – if the polls are to be believed – likely future Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that he would abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a so-called Assembly of the Nations and Regions.
This week Alan Renwick is joined by Meg Russell, Director of the UCL Constitution Unit and Professor of British and Comparative Politics in the UCL Department of Political Science. Meg is the leading expert on the House of Lords and on second chambers more broadly, having conducted research on the subject for more than two decades.
Meg gives us a primer on the House of Lords and helps answer the questions: does it need reform? What is the best way of doing it?
Associated reading:
UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.
The Politics of Climate Change
The Origins of the Secular State
Courage in Politics
The Transformation of British Welfare Policy
The Origins of Social Trust
Why did Argentina invade the Malvinas/Falklands in 1982?
The Pedagogy of Politics
Freeing Bureaucrats to Succeed
Taking Offence
Intermarriage and Voting in Africa
Governments and Private Sector Suppliers
Public Preferences on Taxes and Spending
Online Public Shaming: Social Media, Ethics and Punishment
Legacies of Armed Conflict in Northern Ireland
COP26 in Review: Reflections on Glasgow
Regulating the Internet
Analysing Politicians’ Words
The Global Politics of Climate Change
Prison Protests in Palestine
How Has Covid Affected Voter Preferences
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