Keir Starmer needs more peers in Lords to stop Tories 'thwarting will of the people'

Labour peer George Foulkes has accused Kemi Badenoch’s party of delaying “vital legislation” that would improve people’s lives, and using questionable tactics to do so.

The Mirror understands the Tories have repeatedly engaged in “shenanigans” in the second chamber, whether defeating the government, who they outnumber, or threatening to call votes at the last minute. The Tories currently have 285 peers, compared with Labour ’s 209, outnumbering the party even once the 44 Tory hereditary peers are gone. While losing votes is part of the process, there is growing anger at the use of procedure to slow down changes and block the government.

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In a bid to respond to delays on policies the nation voted for across rail, energy and water, the Prime Minister is now finalising a list of dozens of new peerages to bolster Labour in the Lords, including his outgoing policy chief, Liz Lloyd.

Backing bringing in new peers, Baron Foulkes told the Mirror he supported scrapping the Lords, but they could only work with the system already in place.

He said: “The Tories have a huge majority over all the parties, not just over Labour and it’s creating huge problems for us, delaying vital legislation.

“We urgently need new blood. We also have ageing peers, a number of peers have died recently, and there are some who are not well enough to attend regularly so we do need new blood to keep it going, not just to balance the voting system, but to serve on committees and deal with other aspects of the chamber and the lords as whole.

“The will of the people is being thwarted by unelected, and in some cases hereditary peers, and whenever they want it, the Tories call in all the peers who we never see, and they come in solely to vote down Labour legislation.

“The call goes out, and they turn up just to vote down vital legislation that people voted for".

Starmer’s last peerages list came in December, and saw two dozen new Labour peers, added, including the former Downing Street chief of staff Sue Gray and former shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire.

The Conservatives have been approached for comment.

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