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dalton99a

(93,878 posts) Wed Mar 11, 2026, 01:50 PM Wednesday

Lords a-leaving: Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years

https://apnews.com/article/uk-house-of-lords-hereditary-peers-expelled-535df8781dd01e8970acda1dca99d3d4

Lords a-leaving: Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years
By JILL LAWLESS
Updated 9:29 AM CDT, March 11, 2026

LONDON (AP) — Centuries of British political tradition will end within weeks after Parliament voted to remove hereditary aristocrats from the unelected House of Lords.

On Tuesday night members of the upper chamber dropped objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited seats in Parliament along with their aristocratic titles.

The House of Lords plays an important role in Britain’s parliamentary democracy, scrutinizing legislation passed by the elected House of Commons. But critics have long argued that it is unwieldy and undemocratic.

The case of Peter Mandelson, who resigned from the Lords in February after revelations about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, drew renewed attention to the upper chamber and the problem of lords behaving badly.

...

21 replies

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Highlight:

Lords a-leaving: Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years (Original Post) dalton99a Wednesday OP

An anachronism which deserves to be relegated to the historical dustbin EYESORE 9001 Wednesday #1

Hereditary nobles? Is that like Legacy politicians? Baitball Blogger Wednesday #2

It's what Madison and Jefferson based the US Senate on, wasn't it? A HERETIC I AM Wednesday #7

Interesting. Baitball Blogger Wednesday #10

How interesting DaBronx Wednesday #17

I guess Epstein was the last straw. CTyankee Wednesday #3

No more lording over the peasants and victims. BattleRow Wednesday #4

The whole elite food chain needs to sweat. rubbersole Wednesday #6

We're revolting! SergeStorms Wednesday #9

Revolutions are fought by these whose ribs are easily counted. BattleRow Wednesday #16

The bill was introduced in September 2024, before Epstein blew up muriel_volestrangler Wednesday #18

Good. Hope they get rid of the monarchy next. nt Susan Calvin Wednesday #5

The Brit version of our Citizens United. xuplate Wednesday #8

Not sure I understand the connection? tritsofme Wednesday #12

Hurray! No more jus primae noctis! Ilsa Wednesday #11

Lords Tossed gfarber Wednesday #13

The US Senate should be next maxsolomon Wednesday #14

If they want to have a Monarchy who I am I to say they are nucking futs. twodogsbarking Wednesday #15

There are (were) 842 members of the House of Lords VMA131Marine Wednesday #19

And for 9/10 of those years or more it was all males. efhmc Wednesday #20

I feel bad for Lord Crawley SocialDemocrat61 Wednesday #21

EYESORE 9001

(29,661 posts)

1. An anachronism which deserves to be relegated to the historical dustbin

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 02:38 PM

Wednesday

Royalty schmoyalty.

Baitball Blogger

(52,235 posts)

2. Hereditary nobles? Is that like Legacy politicians?

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 02:48 PM

Wednesday

A HERETIC I AM

(24,874 posts)

7. It's what Madison and Jefferson based the US Senate on, wasn't it?

Reply to Baitball Blogger (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:31 PM

Wednesday

An Upper chamber and a lower chamber.

The Constitution does not call for the election of Senators, rather their appointment by state legislators.

The 17th amendment fixed that.

Baitball Blogger

(52,235 posts)

10. Interesting.

Reply to A HERETIC I AM (Reply #7)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:51 PM

Wednesday

DaBronx

(766 posts)

17. How interesting

Reply to A HERETIC I AM (Reply #7)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:29 PM

Wednesday

I was unaware of this juicy historical nugget of info.

CTyankee

(68,109 posts)

3. I guess Epstein was the last straw.

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 02:51 PM

Wednesday

the optics on this would be funny if it weren't for all of the innocent victims.

BattleRow

(2,331 posts)

4. No more lording over the peasants and victims.

Reply to CTyankee (Reply #3)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 02:54 PM

Wednesday

Next step up the elite food chain..
No more Kings...

rubbersole

(11,182 posts)

6. The whole elite food chain needs to sweat.

Reply to BattleRow (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:16 PM

Wednesday

The peasants are stirring...

SergeStorms

(20,465 posts)

9. We're revolting!

Reply to rubbersole (Reply #6)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:44 PM

Wednesday

🤪

BattleRow

(2,331 posts)

16. Revolutions are fought by these whose ribs are easily counted.

Reply to rubbersole (Reply #6)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:21 PM

Wednesday

With the price of groceries,this may be sooner than later...

muriel_volestrangler

(106,087 posts)

18. The bill was introduced in September 2024, before Epstein blew up

Reply to CTyankee (Reply #3)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:33 PM

Wednesday

In fact, before Mandelson was appointed as US ambassador (the big British news today here is not this, but the release of some papers about the process of his appointment, and it looks like Starmer was warned, but said he wanted Mandelson anyway - this does not look good for him).

But it's possible that Mandelson's downfall helped people say "no way do the Lords get to delay or modify this bill".

Susan Calvin

(2,429 posts)

5. Good. Hope they get rid of the monarchy next. nt

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:02 PM

Wednesday

xuplate

(201 posts)

8. The Brit version of our Citizens United.

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:33 PM

Wednesday

tritsofme

(19,877 posts)

12. Not sure I understand the connection?

Reply to xuplate (Reply #8)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:57 PM

Wednesday

Ilsa

(64,289 posts)

11. Hurray! No more jus primae noctis!

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 03:55 PM

Wednesday

No more droit du seigneur ('right of the lord') to have sexual relations with any female subject, particularly on her wedding night.

Trump will be so disappointed.

gfarber

(265 posts)

13. Lords Tossed

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:05 PM

Wednesday

Last edited Sun Mar 15, 2026, 11:37 AM - Edit history (1)

There once was a chamber of peers,
With dukes set in velvet for years.
By birthright they’d sit,
In ermine and wit—
Debating the realm over beers.

For centuries nobles held sway,
Their titles the price they would pay.
An earl with a grin,
A viscount drop in—
No ballot would stand in their way.

But Commons declared with a vote,
“Your lineage no longer will float.”
The dukes packed their scrolls,
The earls lost their roles—
Hereditary seats now remote.

The Lords still review every bill,
With scrutiny polished and still.
Yet critics complain
The system’s arcane—
A relic of crown, quill, and quill.

Then Mandelson’s scandal appeared,
With friendships the public had feared.
When Epstein was named,
The chamber was shamed—
And talk of reform quickly neared.

https://buymeacoffee.com/gfarber

maxsolomon

(38,580 posts)

14. The US Senate should be next

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:07 PM

Wednesday

It's almost as absurd.

twodogsbarking

(18,515 posts)

15. If they want to have a Monarchy who I am I to say they are nucking futs.

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:15 PM

Wednesday

VMA131Marine

(5,262 posts)

19. There are (were) 842 members of the House of Lords

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 04:49 PM

Wednesday

for a nation of 65 million. That makes it 46 times more representative than the US Senate.
The change in membership of the Lords eliminates 92 hereditary peers.

The membership of the House of Lords is not a specific fixed number but can vary. Typically, once elected or appointed, peers get life memberships.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Lords

efhmc

(16,558 posts)

20. And for 9/10 of those years or more it was all males.

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 06:33 PM

Wednesday

SocialDemocrat61

(7,504 posts)

21. I feel bad for Lord Crawley

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Wed Mar 11, 2026, 06:55 PM

Wednesday

He's really fallen on hard times 😉

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