Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Rowena Mason Whitehall editor

Peers need more vetting, says new head of House of Lords appointments

The House of Lords during the state opening of parliament in May 2022
King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, reading the Queen’s speech in the House of Lords at the state opening of parliament in May 2022. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

Peers should be more robustly vetted for suitability after public “disquiet” over candidates who appear to have been picked for being big donors or friends of those in power, the new head of the House of Lords appointments commission has said.

Ruth Deech, a leading lawyer and academic who was chosen by the government to lead the commission, said she wanted to push for peers to pass not just propriety vetting but an assessment of suitability, to determine whether they merit their appointment.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.