List of excepted hereditary peers
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Under the reforms of the House of Lords Act 1999, the majority of hereditary peers lost the right to sit as members of the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Section 2 of the Act, however, provides an exception from this general exclusion of membership for up to 92 hereditary peers: 90 to be elected by the House, as well as the holders of two royal offices, the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain, who sit as ex officio members. The initial cohort of excepted hereditary peers were elected in the 1999 House of Lords elections. Between 1999 and November 2002, vacancies among this group were filled by runners-up in the 1999 election. Since then, by-elections to the House of Lords have filled vacancies.
Candidature for both the 1999 elections and subsequent by-elections is restricted to peers in the Peerages of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Peers in the Peerage of Ireland are only eligible for election if they hold a title in one of the other peerages, but if successful may use their Irish peerage title as a member of the House. The electorates are either the whole membership of the House of Lords (including life peers), or a party group of sitting hereditary peers. A standing order of the House, approved prior to the commencement of the House of Lords Act 1999, mandates that the 90 elected hereditary peers consist of:[1]
- 2 peers elected by the Labour hereditary peers
- 42 peers elected by the Conservative hereditary peers
- 3 peers elected by the Liberal Democrat hereditary peers
- 28 peers elected by the crossbench hereditary peers
- 15 peers elected by the whole House
By convention, whole-House elections elect members of the same affiliation as the departed peer.[2]
These numbers elected by each group reflected the relative strengths of the parties among hereditary peers in 1999; this allocation has remained unchanged since then. The fifteen peers elected by the whole House were intended to provide a group of experienced members ready to serve as deputy speakers or other officers.
A small number of hereditary peers sit in the Lords by virtue of their being granted life peerages (see listing). These are not listed below.
Ex officio members
Earl Marshal
The Earl Marshal is an hereditary post held by the Duke of Norfolk.
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|
| Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk | Template:Dts | Template:Dts |
| Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk | Template:Dts | present |
Lord Great Chamberlain
The Lord Great Chamberlain is an hereditary office in gross post among the Cholmondeley, Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby and Carington families.
In 1902 it was ruled by the House of Lords that the then joint office holders (the 1st Earl of Ancaster, the 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley, and the Earl Carrington, later Marquess of Lincolnshire) had to agree on a deputy to exercise the office, subject to the approval of the Sovereign. Should there be no such agreement, the Sovereign should appoint a deputy until an agreement be reached.[3]
In 1912 an agreement was reached. The office, or right to appoint the person to exercise the office, would thereafter rotate among the three joint office holders and their heirs after them, changing at the start of each successive reign. Cholmondeley and his heirs would serve in every other reign; Ancaster and Carrington would each serve once in four reigns.[4]
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|
| David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley | Template:Dts | Template:Dts |
| Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington Elected as an excepted hereditary peer in 2018Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Template:Dts | present |
Elected by the whole House
Sitting
Deceased
Resigned
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Elected by the Conservative hereditary peers
Sitting Conservative peers
Deceased Conservative peers
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Vivian, 6th Baron Vivian | 1991 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Hugh Lawson, 6th Baron Burnham | 1993 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Charles Stourton, 26th Baron Mowbray | 1965 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| David Carnegie, 14th Earl of Northesk | 1994 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow | 1971 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | 1954 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu | 1947 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Roger Swinfen Eady, 3rd Baron Swinfen | 1977 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home | 1995 | 1999 | 22 August 2022 |
Resigned Conservative peers
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Resigned | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Lawson Johnston, 3rd Baron Luke | 1996 | 1999 | Template:Dts | Template:Dts | |
| Robin Dixon, 3rd Baron Glentoran | 1995 | 1999 | Template:Dts | ||
| John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne Left party to become non-affiliated in 2019[12]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
1971 | 1999 | Template:Dts | Template:Dts | |
| Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham | 1949 | 1999 | Template:Dts | Template:Dts | |
| Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley | 2013 | Template:Dts | Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers | Template:Dts | |
| Robin Cayzer, 3rd Baron Rotherwick | 1996 | 1999 | Template:Dts | ||
| Ivon Moore-Brabazon, 3rd Baron Brabazon of Tara | 1976 | 1999 | Template:Dts | ||
| John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever | 1984 | 1999 | Template:Dts |
Removed Conservative peers
Pursuant to section 2 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Removed | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malcolm Mitchell-Thomson, 3rd Baron Selsdon | 1963 | 1999 | Template:Dts | Template:Dts | |
| David Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke Joined UKIP in 2007;[13] non-affiliated from 2018[14]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
1986 | 1999 | 9 July 2024 |
Elected by the Crossbencher hereditary peers
Sitting Crossbench peers
Deceased Crossbench peers
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ziki Robertson, 11th Baroness Wharton | 1990 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon | 1987 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange | 1986 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth (Entered the house under the Peerage Act 1963)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
1963 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Christopher Bathurst, 3rd Viscount Bledisloe | 1979 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Mark Colville, 4th Viscount Colville of Culross | 1954 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| John Monson, 11th Baron Monson | 1958 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| John Wilson, 2nd Baron Moran | 1977 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Michael Allenby, 3rd Viscount Allenby | 1984 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| John Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim | 1970 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Adrian Palmer, 4th Baron Palmer | 1990 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Janric Craig, 3rd Viscount Craigavon | 1974 | 1999 | Template:Dts |
Resigned Crossbench peers
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Removed Crossbench peers
Pursuant to section 2 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Removed | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges | 1969 | 1999 | Template:Dts | Template:Dts |
Elected by the Labour hereditary peers
Sitting Labour peers
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Suenson-Taylor, 3rd Baron Grantchester (left the house in 1999)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
1995 | Template:Dts | Michael Milner, 2nd Baron Milner of Leeds |
| Stephen Benn, 3rd Viscount Stansgate | 2021 | Template:Dts | Nicolas Rea, 3rd Baron Rea |
Deceased Labour peers
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Milner, 2nd Baron Milner of Leeds | 1967 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Nicolas Rea, 3rd Baron Rea | 1982 | 1999 | Template:Dts |
Elected by the Liberal Democrats hereditary peers
Sitting Liberal Democrats peers
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominic Hubbard, 6th Baron Addington | 1982 | 1999 | |
| Patrick Boyle, 10th Earl of Glasgow (left the house in 1999)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
1984 | Template:Dts | Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell |
| John Archibald Sinclair, 3rd Viscount Thurso (left the house in 1999)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
1995 | Template:Dts | Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury |
Deceased Liberal Democrats peers
| Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords | First sat | Elected | Replacing | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conrad Russell, 5th Earl Russell | 1987 | 1999 | Template:Dts | |
| Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury | 1971 | 1999 | Template:Dts |
Current party composition
As of June 2025[update]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., the party affiliations of the elected hereditary peers are as follows:[15]
| Affiliation | Elected by | Template:Nb5TotalTemplate:Nb5 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative hereditary peers |
Crossbench hereditary peers |
Labour hereditary peers |
Liberal Democrat hereditary peers |
Whole House | |||
| Conservative | 36[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] | – | – | – | 9 | 45 | |
| Crossbenchers | 3[lower-alpha 2] | 26[lower-alpha 3] | – | – | 3[lower-alpha 4] | 32 | |
| Labour | – | – | 2 | – | 2 | 4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | – | – | – | 3 | 1[lower-alpha 4] | 4 | |
| Non-affiliated | 2[lower-alpha 1] | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
| Total | 41 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 87 | |
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- ↑ a b Lord Ashton of Hyde and Lord Strathcarron were elected by Conservative hereditary peers but now sit as non-affiliated peers.
- ↑ a b Lord Inglewood, Earl Peel, and Duke of Wellington were elected by Conservative hereditary peers but now sit as Crossbenchers.
- ↑ Number includes Lord Carrington, who would otherwise be an ex officio member by virtue of holding the office of Lord Great Chamberlain.
- ↑ a b Earl of Oxford and Asquith was elected by the whole House as a Liberal Democrat but now sits as a Crossbencher.
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- One additional hereditary peer is an ex officio member of the Lords: Duke of Norfolk (Earl Marshal).
See also
- 1999 House of Lords elections
- By-elections to the House of Lords
- List of hereditary peers in the House of Lords by virtue of a life peerage
- List of hereditary peers removed under the House of Lords Act 1999
- Peerage of the United Kingdom
References
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- ↑ Great Officers of State: The Lord Great Chamberlain and The Earl Marshal Script error: No such module "webarchive".. The Royal Family. debretts.com Script error: No such module "webarchive".. Debrett's Limited. Accessed 17 September 2013.
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