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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Ashley Cowburn

'Feudalistic farce' as ex-PMs' great-grandchildren fight for hereditary seat in Lords

Descendents of 19th and 20th century Prime Ministers are among those battling it out in the latest bizarre by-election of a hereditary peer.

Three candidates - whose titles have been passed down through family ties - have put themselves forward for a vote among peers next week.

They include Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfo, the great-grandson of ex-Liberal PM David Lloyd George, and Earl Russell - a descendent of the last Whig PM, Lord John Russell.

The third candidate Lord Belhaven and Stenton listed in his candidate statement 50 years business experience in "insurance, outsourcing, speech recognition and AI technology".

The battle, reported by The Times, led the Electoral Reform Society saying it's time "to finally overhaul this feudalistic farce and back a fairly-elected second chamber".

Former Liberal PM David Lloyd George (Mirrorpix)

It is expected the victor - to be announced next week - will sit as a Liberal Democrat in the upper chamber, which is now one of the world's largest with 778 members.

Like other members of the House of Lords they will be able to scrutinise and vote on Government legislation and receive an allowance of over £300 on sitting days.

The 1999 House of Lords Reform Act cut back the number of hereditary peers able to sit in the chamber - but 92 remained as a compromise.

It comes as Viscount Falkland prepares to retire from the House of Lords where he served since 1999.

Willie Sullivan, a director at the Electoral Reform Society said: “The fact that in 2023 we still have guaranteed seats for hereditary aristocrats in our parliament shows just how much Westminster needs to change to be fit for the modern day.

“This isn’t just an honorary title, part of the pomp and ceremony of Britain’s political past – this new peer will have a lifetime appointment to vote on our laws – handed to him through no other reason than his bloodline."

They added: “The Lords must scrap these scam elections now. At a time when political parties and peers themselves are united in calling for a slimmed-down second chamber, the fact that these elections are continuing to take place is an embarrassment.

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