The House of Lords was thrown into chaos when democracy protesters disrupted a debate with chants of “Lords out, people in.”
Proceedings were abandoned for several minutes as stunned peers watched the protesters shout and throw leaflets into the chamber.
Protesters call for a ‘house of the people’
The demonstration happened during a debate marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Labour whip Baroness Twycross was mid-speech when the protesters from the group Assemble launched into action.
Their leaflets read:
“Never mind the Lords, here’s the House of People.”
On the reverse, the message was blunt:
“Aristocrats and oligarchs: Out.
Posties, mums, nurses and neighbours: In.”
“Replace the House of Lords to save the UK.”
Deputy Lords speaker Viscount Colville responded quickly, saying:
“The house will adjourn for five minutes while this chaos calms down.”
‘Real democracy’ not ‘elite rule’
One of the protesters, Lucy Porter, a 50-year-old primary school teacher from Leeds, said she was “campaigning for a house of the people.”
Another protester, who gave her name only as Christina, explained the motivation behind the action:
“We did this on behalf of Assemble. The ask is simple — instead of a House of Lords made up of unelected wealthy elites, we want a house of the people.
“We need citizens’ assemblies where people can participate in real democracy, instead of having decisions handed down from above.”
You can watch it below:
A growing push for reform
Calls to reform or abolish the House of Lords have grown louder in recent years. Critics argue that an unelected chamber of life peers, hereditary peers, and bishops is outdated and undemocratic.
As the dust settles from this latest disruption, the debate over the future of the Lords is unlikely to die down anytime soon.
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