Britain is ending the centuries-old tradition of hereditary aristocrats sitting in Parliament’s House of Lords.
Man accused of murdering co-worker at St. Johns County construction site pleads not guilty‘This is the people’s utility’: Carrico considering council action after IG requests review of JEA fees Read full article: ‘This is the people’s utility’: Carrico considering council action after IG requests review of JEA feesJacksonville to consider making March 18 ‘Lil Poppa Day’ in remembrance of local rapperCharges dropped for JFRD employee accused of engaging in ‘prank war’; other 3 going through PTI program Read full article: Charges dropped for JFRD employee accused of engaging in ‘prank war’; other 3 going through PTI programFILE-King Charles III reads the King's Speech, as Queen Camilla sits beside him during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, London, Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
File- General view at the Elizabeth Tower, known as Big Ben, and Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. FILE-King Charles III reads the King's Speech, as Queen Camilla sits beside him during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, London, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. On Tuesday night members of the upper chamber dropped objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited seats in Parliament along with their aristocratic titles.Government minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the change put an end to “an archaic and undemocratic principle.” “Our parliament should always be a place where talents are recognized and merit counts,” he said. “It should never be a gallery of old boys’ networks, nor a place where titles, many of which were handed out centuries ago, hold power over the will of the people.” The House of Lords plays an important role in Britain’s parliamentary democracy, scrutinizing legislation passed by the elected House of Commons. But critics have long argued that it is unwieldy and undemocratic.The chamber currently has more than 800 members, making it the second-largest legislative chamber in the world after China’s National People’s Congress. For most of its 700-year history, its membership was composed of noblemen — almost never women — who inherited their seats, alongside a smattering of bishops. In the 1950s, these were joined by “life peers” — retired politicians, civic leaders and other notables appointed by the government, who now make up the vast majority of the chamber. Roughly 1 in 10 members are currently hereditary peers. In 1999, the Labour government of then-Prime Minister Tony Blair evicted most of the 750 hereditary peers, though 92 were allowed to remain temporarily to avoid an aristocrats’ rebellion. The lords put up a fight, forcing a compromise that will see an undisclosed number of hereditary members allowed to stay by being “recycled” into life peers. The bill will become law once King Charles III grants royal assent — a formality — and the hereditary peers will leave at the end of the current session of Parliament this spring, completing a political process begun a quarter century ago. In Lords terms, that is speedy.with an alternative second chamber that is “more representative of the U.K.” If past experience is anything to go by, change will come slowly. “So, here we are at the end of well over seven centuries of service by hereditary peers in this Parliament,” Nicholas True, the opposition Conservative Party leader in the Lords, told the chamber. “Many thousands of peers served their nation here and thousands of improvements to law were made,” he said. “It wasn’t all a stereotypical history of reaction in ermine. Many of those people, no doubt, were flawed but for the most part, they served their nation faithfully and well.” Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Ludacris takes the stage at Military Appreciation Day during The Players ChampionshipMarch 10, 6 p.m. scene of a crash on Edgewood Avenue, News4JAX working to learn moreGet your garden growing! The weather is perfect and there is some rain on the wayMorning Show anchor Bruce Hamilton shares update on his cancer journeyThe Players Championship practice rounds get underway under sunny skiesDeadly Westside crash closes lanes on 103rd Street near Valdura AvenueBishop Kenny boys basketball team has used youth to power run to final fourJFRD didn’t inspect a halfway house for 59 years. Now the house faces costly issuesAG Pam Bondi talks about attack in New York CityMen's, women's winners of 49th Gate River Run
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The UK is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 yearsBritain is ending the centuries-old tradition of hereditary aristocrats sitting in Parliament’s House of Lords. Late Tuesday the Lords dropped objections to a bill passed by the House of Commons that removes dozens of dukes, earls, and others who inherited seats in the unelected upper chamber. The chamber currently has more than 800 members.
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