Head of Research Services, House of Lords
Joined June 2011
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Eight of the most recent peerages announced have been created, including Lord Khan of Tooting @SadiqKhan
members.parliament.uk/member…
Debate on digital sovereignty in the Lords next week. our briefing has just been published
lordslibrary.parliament.uk/d…
Lord Speaker announces the death of Lord Laming hansard.parliament.uk/lords/…
26 peerages announced including Sadiq Khan, June Sarpong, David Ross and Brian Leveson.
16 Lab, 5 LD, 3 Con, 2 XB
gov.uk/government/news/polit…
Lord Christopher has died aged 101
Matt Purvis retweeted
Sad to hear about the death of Lord Tony Christopher.
An incredible career in public service, Tony was the oldest serving British parliamentarian and the last Member of Parliament to have served in World War II.
My thoughts and condolences are with his family.
Eve Samson will be the next Clerk of the House (of Commons), the first woman to hold that role.
She follows Chloe Mawson who started her role as Clerk of the Parliaments in the Lords in April.
parliament.uk/business/news/…
Four more members of the House will retire from the Lords:
Lord Low of Dalston on 15 May
Lord Collins of Mapesbury on 18 May
Baroness Clark of Kilwinning on 19 May
Lord Haskel on 21 May
It was announced earlier that Baroness Billingham and Lord Christopher yesterday "ceased to be Members of the House under Section 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014, by virtue of not attending any proceedings of the House during the parliamentary session 2024-26".
Lord Christopher is 100 today
members.parliament.uk/member…
Last year, he was interviewed by House magazine who noted:
"[He] has neither spoken in the Upper Chamber nor voted since 2019, and has so far declined to take an oath to King Charles – a requirement for active peers [...]
26 hereditary peers nominated for life peerages to continue in the House of Lords gov.uk/government/news/polit…
Matt Purvis retweeted
Lord Skidelsky obituary: leading historian of Keynes thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/a…
Lord Speaker announces Lord Mandelson has retired from the House of Lords effective 4 February 2026.
A life peerage cannot be relinquished. However, the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 enables a life peer to resign from being a member of the House.
Can peerages be removed?
lordslibrary.parliament.uk/p…
Matt Purvis retweeted
The House of Lords has the power (since 2015) to expel a member. It does not have the power to remove a member's title. That can only be done by primary legislation.
Govt said yesterday "The Prime Minister believes, as do the Government, that Peter Mandelson should not retain his membership of the House of Lords or use his title. As the House already knows, the Government do not have the power to remove peerages without legislation..." (1/3)
Can peerages be removed?
lordslibrary.parliament.uk/p…
PM "is calling on all political parties—including the Conservatives, as the largest party in the House of Lords—to work with the Government to modernise the disciplinary procedures to allow for the removal of peers who have brought the House of Lords into disrepute" (2/3)