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The '''House of Lords''', or, more properly, ''The Right Honourable the House of Lords'', is the [[upper house]] of the British [[legislature]]. Together with the Queen and the [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]], it comprises one of the three elements of the British [[Parliament]]. It also functions as the highest court of appeal in the UK, though in practice senior judges are appointed to the House to exercise this function independently of its other members.

The '''House of Lords''', or, more properly, ''The Right Honourable the House of Lords'', is the upper house of the [[British]] [[legislature]]. Together with the [[Queen]] and the [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]], it comprises one of the three elements of the British [[Parliament|Legislation]]. It was formerly the highest appellate court in the UK until October 2009; the Supreme Court, as created by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,<ref>http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2005/en/ukpgaen_20050004_en_1</ref> has now taken over this function, although the Law Lords previously appointed to the House of Lords remain Lords and Supreme Court judges.

Reform of the House of Lords may be regarded as a second-tier current political issue in the UK.

Reform of the House of Lords may be regarded as a second-tier current political issue in the UK.

==Lords Temporal==

==Lords Temporal==

Historically, the House of Lords was composed of aristocrats (peers) who had either inherited their aristocratic titles or been awarded them by the Monarch (in later times, the Monarch would act in such circumstances at the request of the Prime Minister). The Life Peerages Act of 1958 gave the Monarch the power to confer the noble title of ''Baron'' (or ''Baroness'') on individuals for life, without their children inheriting it.

Historically, the House of Lords was composed of aristocrats (peers) who had either inherited their aristocratic titles or been awarded them by the Monarch (in later times, the Monarch would act in such circumstances at the request of the Prime Minister). The Life Peerages Act of 1958 gave the Monarch the power to confer the noble title of ''Baron'' (or ''Baroness'') on individuals for life only, without their children inheriting it.

In 1998, the [[Labour Party|Labour]] Government of [[Tony Blair]] removed most of the hereditary peers from the House: as part of a compromise deal, 92 have remained, though these are expected to be removed during the next round of reform of the House. The House accordingly now consists almost entirely of "life peers" appointed as Barons with non-inheritable titles.

In 1998, the [[Labour Party|Labour]] Government of [[Tony Blair]] removed most of the hereditary peers from the House: as part of a compromise deal, 92 have remained, though these are expected to be removed during the next round of reform of the House. The House accordingly now consists almost entirely of "life peers" appointed as Barons with non-inheritable titles.

==Reform==

==Reform==

 

Since the reform of 1998, the Labour Government has taken steps to effect further reform to the House of Lords. It is not clear whether these steps will result in legislation in the near future.

Labour called for abolition of the House of Lords in 1910; when elected, they kept it and appointed their own favourites to peerages. Later posters dropped the violent imagery and called for peaceful change. Since the reform of 1998, the Labour Government has taken steps to effect further reform to the House of Lords, reducing the role of hereditary peers.

==Political composition==

==Political composition==

The current political composition of the House of Lords is as follows:

The current political composition of the House of Lords is as follows:

[[Labour Party]]: 211 seats

[[Labour Party]]: 226 seats

 

 

[[Liberal Democrats]]: 90 seats

[[Conservative Party]]: 203 seats

[[Democratic Unionist Party]]: 4 seats

[[Liberal Democrats]]: 77 seats

[[Ulster Unionist Party]]: 3 seats

[[UK Independence Party]]: 2 seats

[[UK Independence Party]]: 2 seats

[[Green Party]]: 1 seat

[[Plaid Cymru]]: 2 seats

Independents ("Cross-benchers"): 202 seats

Independents ("Cross-benchers"): 177 seats

Others: 35 seats

Lords Spiritual: 26

 

TOTAL: 731

TOTAL: 731

* [[Parliament]]

* [[Parliament]]

* [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]]

* [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]]