Chinese nationalism

• However the Lords is an unelected house, which raises questions about what place it can have in a modern democracy.
• These have flared up with new vigour in the wake of former prime minister Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, which contained multiple surprises.
• With close to 800 members, the House of Lords is the second largest legislature in the world (behind only the Chinese National People’s Congress).
• The absence of elections to the Lords, combined with its size and cost, makes the public perception of how people are appointed even more important.

Routes to the Lords

• There are several ways to become a member of the House of Lords.
• Prime ministers leaving office can recommend peerages in their resignation honours list for people who have supported them.
• Historically, the most controversial of these routes have been the political and resignation honours lists – primarily because of perceptions of cronyism.

The appointments commission

• The commission also has a role to play in vetting other nominations for propriety, including political appointments with a view to minimising potential reputational risks for the house.
• The commission is not involved in the appointment process after providing that advice to the prime minster.
• However, while the commission must vet the nomination, the final decisions are taken by the prime minister of the day.

Change in the air

• This means that its role can be altered without seeking permission from parliament.
• As recent events have shown, its advice can also be ignored, which has created a troublesome new precedent.
• It is proposed this could have regard for the size of the chamber when making recommendations to the prime minister.