Farage pushes Reform peers into the House of Lords

Nigel Farage asks Keir Starmer to allow Reform UK life peers in the Lords, drawing sharp rebuttal from a defence secretary.

Farage pushes Reform peers into the House of Lords

Nigel Farage has written to Labour leader Keir Starmer asking that Reform UK be allowed to nominate life peers to the House of Lords. He argues there is a democratic disparity because smaller parties have peers while Reform UK does not, despite winning a large share of votes in the last general election. He says Reform UK should be represented in the upper chamber as soon as possible.

Defence Secretary John Healey rejected the idea on LBC, saying parliament would not benefit from more Putin apologists. He noted that peer appointments are usually at the prime minister’s discretion and that Starmer’s Labour government has not committed to a quick path to reform. The piece also points out that Labour has flirted with broader reform ideas, while reform proposals include replacing the Lords with an elected second chamber.

The move spots a fault line in post-Brexit British politics. It shows how party strategy can hinge on the symbolism of the Lords as much as on policy. Reform UK wants a seat at the table to push its brand of constitutional reform, while Labour weighs its own promises of change against the reality of parliamentary consent. The clash also raises questions about where legitimacy in the upper house should come from: votes, votes plus mandates, or inherited prestige.

Beyond the personalities, the episode underscores a wider debate about the purpose of the Lords. Labour has signalled a willingness to reform, yet the party has avoided a concrete commitment to a fully elected chamber. Farage’s bid highlights how quickly constitutional questions move from theory to political theater, and how messy reform battles can become when they touch electoral credibility and coalition dynamics.

Highlights

The Lords reform debate continues to unfold as parties test how far constitutional change will ride on election momentum.