Lords reform bill faces revolt from unexpected corner — crossbench peers

Government MPs assumed the upper house would roll over. They were wrong.

The government's flagship House of Lords reform bill is heading for a bruising week, with a growing number of crossbench peers signalling they will vote against key clauses at second reading.

Ministers had quietly assumed that the upper house, populated by many of their own recent appointees, would offer only token resistance. That assumption now looks badly misplaced.

At the heart of the dispute is a clause empowering ministers to remove peers on grounds of 'reputational risk' — language critics describe as 'dangerously vague' and ripe for political abuse.

Several former Supreme Court justices have added their voices to the opposition, warning the bill as drafted would 'fundamentally weaken' the independence of the second chamber.

A government source admitted privately that significant amendments are 'now inevitable' if the bill is to survive in any recognisable form.