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House of Lords Votes to Phase Out Last Hereditary Peerages After 900-Year Tradition

PoliticsPolitics
Key Points
  • The House of Lords has voted to phase out the last hereditary peerages, ending a nearly 1,000-year tradition.
  • Charles Courtenay, whose family claims 900 years of hereditary service, stated 'the general public will miss us.'
  • The reform completes changes begun by Tony Blair in 1997 that reduced the Lords from over 1,300 to around 700 seats.

The British House of Lords has reportedly voted to phase out the last hereditary peerages, ending a tradition that dates back nearly 1,000 years. According to Swedish media reports, the Lords themselves recently passed legislation that will eliminate the remaining inherited seats in the upper house of Parliament. This means dukes, earls, and viscounts will no longer be able to pass their seats to the next generation.

' The reform marks the culmination of changes that began under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who started dismantling the old traditions after his landslide election victory in 1997. Blair's reforms reportedly reduced the House of Lords from over 1,300 seats to around 700 by the turn of the millennium. Hereditary seats in Parliament have long been criticized as outdated, with the latest legislation representing the final step in modernizing the institution.

I think the general public will miss us.

Charles Courtenay

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