The Lords
The House
of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament, it complements
the work of the House of Commons. It makes laws, holds government to
account and investigates policy issues. Its membership is mostly
appointed and includes experts in many fields.
Speaking
about the membership of the House of Lords, until 1958 all of the
Lords were indeed aristocrats. Then a law was passed which made it
possible to award “life peerages” through the honours system.
These gave people entitlement to sit in the Lords but not the
children of these people. Often people who want to continue their
career in politics but are too old to be as active and busy as MPs
find a place in the House of Lords.
Political
parties are, in fact, especially keen to send their older members who
once belonged to the leadership of the party to the House of Lords.
Informally, this practice has become known as “being kicked
upstairs”.
External links and literature
-
An
illustrated history of Britain
-
Britain
for learners of English
-
http://www.royal.gov.uk/
-
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheRoyalChannel
-
http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/England/index.html
-
http://www.parliament.uk/
-
http://www.number10.gov.uk/
