MP seeks Lords reform to end ‘last bastion’ of sexism

THE “last bastion of constitutional sexism” under which only men can inherit seats in the House of Lords should be abolished, a Conservative former minister has said.

Harriett Baldwin, the MP for West Worcestershire, is to call on the Government to change the law so that daughters can inherit peerages.

Some 92 hereditary peers still sit in the House of Lords following constitutional changes made by Tony Blair’s Labour government, with 75 of them selected to attend the chamber in a ballot of their fellow hereditary peers.

Ms Baldwin claims the principle of male-only primogeniture means that one-eighth of the seats among the 780 sitting members in the House of Lords are reserved exclusively for men.

On Friday, she will present her Hereditary Titles (Female Succession) Bill for consideration in the House of Commons. Ms Baldwin said: “This is the last bastion of constitutional sexism and, when I last spoke to the House of Commons on this important reform, I vowed that I would not rest.

“This simple reform of the House of Lords has cross-party support and a tranche of MPS have joined me, calling for this legislation to receive Government support.” Private Members’ Bills are usually unlikely to progress through Parliament without Government support, but Ms Baldwin has been petitioning ministers to back the change.

“I have had detailed meetings with ministers alongside this and, although there is wider reluctance to reform the House of Lords itself, I do feel that this

‘Now is the time to smash this constitutional glass ceiling and bring equality to the UK Parliament’

initiative has the tacit support of the Government,” she said.

“When I bring this legislation back to the House of Commons, I will press for formal Government support and I hope to secure commitments from a minister that now is the time to smash this constitutional glass ceiling and finally bring equality to the UK Parliament.”

Several other Private Members’ Bills are set to be considered on Friday ahead of Ms Baldwin’s, meaning that MPS may run out of time to debate it.