by John McFall

As Lord Speaker, I am impartial. It is not for me to put forward specific proposals on the future of the House of Lords. What I can do is suggest a framework for constructive debate.

The framework is based on two unassailable truths: that the House adds significant value to parliamentary scrutiny and revision; and that there are issues around the composition of the House of Lords which we need to resolve.

That gives us an agenda for change – how to keep what is positive in the House’s role, while responding to issues of public concern, such as size and appointments.

I also suggest three principles for assessing reform which build on one another: first, that changing the composition of the House will inevitably change its role, even if there are no explicit changes in its powers.

Secondly, that the more radical the change in composition, the more radical and unpredictable will be the resulting change in the role of the House. History tells us that incremental change has been easier to realise than radical change. Reforming the House of Lords requires consensus at multiple levels. If radical reform is to be undertaken, then that is for the politicians to consider and take forward – it is not for me as an impartial speaker to stand in the way of any such reform. I merely stress the need for constructive engagement that can deliver the widest possible consensus.

This in turn gives me my third principle: we need reform proposals that will achieve engagement and endorsement from Government, political parties in parliament and—not least—from our increasingly diverse UK population.

We need to think about how to achieve this.

John McFall, Lord McFall of Alcluith, was elected Lord Speaker of the House of Lords in 2021. He is the first Catholic to hold the post.  Before entering the Lords in 2010, he was a Labour MP, first for Dumbarton and later for West Dunbartonshire.