General Elections: Peers’ Exclusion from Voting

Debate between Lord Wallace of Saltaire and Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood

Monday 23rd March 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

My Lords, I note that so far there are 11 names of current Peers on the list of those who have expressed their intention to retire at the end of this Parliament: they include no Members from the Labour Benches.

[Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that, whatever the arguments justifying the banning of Members of this House generally from voting in general elections may be, there can be no justification in respect of those who are disqualified? I speak on behalf of five erstwhile colleagues of mine in the Supreme Court who, when they were exiled across the Square, lost their vote and their voice here. They are totally disfranchised, and so too is the Lord Chief Justice. Can the Minister justify that?

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

I would have to look closely at the 1999 Act to be assured that they remain disqualified. I was not aware of that.