Some hereditary peers offered life peerages after Lords reform
Mar 14th 2026
The new law will strip hereditary peers of their automatic seats when Parliament rises, but a political deal could convert a limited number into life peers so they can stay in the House of Lords.
- House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill has passed and will remove the 92 remaining hereditary seats at the end of the parliamentary session, expected in May.
- A compromise deal would allow about 15 Conservative hereditary peers to be converted into life peers so they can remain in the Lords.
- Some crossbench hereditary peers are also expected to be nominated for life peerages under the same arrangement.
- Labour agreed the deal in part to secure Conservative agreement to retire some existing life peers.
- Tory Lords leadership will recommend nominees and party leader Kemi Badenoch will have the final approval before any appointments reach the prime minister.
- Several hereditary peers, including the Earl of Devon and Lord Bethell, say they will not seek life peerages.
- Critics say the arrangement lets unelected aristocrats return by the back door and undermines Labour manifesto commitments to end hereditary seats.