Demonstrators disrupt House of Lords to demand abolition of unelected chamber

Protesters have disrupted proceedings in the House of Lords demanding the abolition of the unelected chamber.

A group of around half a dozen people in the public gallery threw leaflets, shouted and sang during the demonstration at noon on Thursday.

The House was adjourned for a short time as the demonstrators were escorted out.

Protester Lucy Porter, 50, a primary school teacher from Leeds, told the PA news agency she was “campaigning for a house of the people”.

On the Lords, she said: “It’s a symbol of everything that’s outdated.

“We don’t have a functioning democracy in this country.”

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"Out"

The leaflets, apparently modelled on an album by the Sex Pistols punk band, had written on them: “Never mind the Lords here’s the House of People.”

On the other side it stated: “Aristocrats and oligarchs: Out.

“Posties, mums, murses and neighbours: In.

“Replace the House of Lords to save the UK.”

The protesters said they were acting on behalf of Assemble, an organisation that campaigns for the Lords to be abolished and replaced by a citizens’ assembly.

Citizens’ assemblies are selected by sortition, which means members of the public are picked at random via a lottery.

Supporters of this system argue it means a more representative sample of the population are able to come together and debate important issues.

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"Unelected wealthy elites"

Another demonstrator, who wished to be known only as Christina, said: “We did this action on behalf of Assemble and the ask is that, instead of a House of Lords, which is a house of unelected wealthy elites, we have a house of the people.

“So, we have citizens’ assemblies where people can participate in real democracy, instead of having everything handed to them from up high.”

Another woman, who also referred to herself as Christina, said: “If people enter into assemblies and a house of the people via sortition, that’s real representation where people get a say on real issues that matter to them, which are not getting processed by the Government or Parliament.

“The cost-of-living crisis, the housing crisis, the climate crisis, it’s a mess, and we need people with real representation to start making a difference and having a say.”

"Raise a glass"

As they were escorted out, the protesters sang a song encouraging people to “raise a glass to Thomas Paine”.

The English-born American founding father was a strong advocate of democracy and rejected monarchy and aristocracy.

Protests by the public in the Lords are prohibited.

Signs there say: “All demonstrations by strangers in the gallery are out of order and must be treated accordingly.”

The protest came amid moves at Westminster to reform the Lords by ousting hereditary peers.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, which has already been through the Commons, will abolish the 92 seats reserved for members of the upper chamber who are there by right of birth.

The legislation delivers on a promise in Labour’s election manifesto and has been promoted as the first step in revamping the House.

But a commitment to introduce a participation requirement and mandatory retirement age of 80 were not included in the Government’s current legislative plans.

The administration has said that longer term it wants to replace the Lords with an “alternative second chamber that is more representative of the regions and nations”.