List of excepted hereditary peers
Under the reforms of the House of Lords Act 1999 , the majority of hereditary peers became ineligible to be 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 .
Lord Great Chamberlain
The Lord Great Chamberlain is a 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]
Elected by the whole House
Sitting
Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords
Party
First sat
Elected
Replacing
Euan Geddes, 3rd Baron Geddes
Conservative
1975
1999
John Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles (left the house in 1999)
Conservative
1999
4 April 2005
Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare
David Pollock, 3rd Viscount Hanworth (left the house in 1999)
Labour
1996
22 March 2011
David Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi
Charles Colville, 5th Viscount Colville of Culross
Crossbencher
2011
20 July 2011
Geoffrey Russell, 4th Baron Ampthill
Jamie Borwick, 5th Baron Borwick
Conservative
2013
17 July 2013
Hugh Mackay, 14th Lord Reay
Raymond Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith Elected as Liberal Democrat; became non-affiliated in 2019, Crossbencher in 2021 [ 5]
Crossbencher
2014
21 October 2014
Robert Methuen, 7th Baron Methuen
Alastair Campbell, 4th Baron Colgrain
Conservative
2017
27 March 2017
Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell
Aeneas Mackay, 15th Lord Reay
Conservative
2019
22 January 2019
Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale
Richard Denison, 9th Baron Londesborough (left the house in 1999)
Crossbencher
1996
16 June 2021
Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar
Jasset Ormsby-Gore, 7th Baron Harlech
Conservative
2021
14 July 2021
Rodney Elton, 2nd Baron Elton
David Hacking, 3rd Baron Hacking (left the house in 1999)
Labour
1971
10 November 2021
Jan David Simon, 3rd Viscount Simon
Massey Lopes, 4th Baron Roborough
Conservative
2022
18 October 2022
Nicholas Lowther, 2nd Viscount Ullswater
Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 7th Earl of Minto
Conservative
2022
18 October 2022
Anthony Hamilton-Smith, 3rd Baron Colwyn
John Russell, 7th Earl Russell
Liberal Democrat
2023
13 June 2023
Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland
William Stonor, 8th Baron Camoys
Conservative
2023
22 November 2023
Michael Brougham, 5th Baron Brougham and Vaux
Deceased
Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords
Party
First sat
Elected
Replacing
Died
George Makgill, 13th Viscount of Oxfuird
Conservative
1986
1999
3 January 2003
Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare
Conservative
1957
1999
23 January 2005
David Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi
Labour
1953
1999
24 December 2010
Geoffrey Russell, 4th Baron Ampthill
Crossbencher
1973
1999
23 April 2011
Hugh Mackay, 14th Lord Reay
Conservative
1963
1999
10 May 2013
Robert Methuen, 7th Baron Methuen
Liberal Democrats
1994
1999
9 July 2014
Charles Lyell, 3rd Baron Lyell
Conservative
1960
1999
11 January 2017
Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale
Conservative
1973
1999
31 October 2018
Jan David Simon, 3rd Viscount Simon
Labour
1993
1999
15 August 2021
Michael Brougham, 5th Baron Brougham and Vaux
Conservative
1968
1999
27 August 2023
Resigned
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Elected by the Conservative hereditary peers
Sitting Conservative peers
Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords
Qualifying title, if different from highest title
First sat
Elected
Replacing
Thomas Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde
1986
1999
David Trefgarne, 2nd Baron Trefgarne
1962
1999
Benjamin Mancroft, 3rd Baron Mancroft
1987
1999
Frederick Curzon, 7th Earl Howe
1984
1999
Malcolm Sinclair, 20th Earl of Caithness
1969
1999
Oliver Eden, 8th Baron Henley
Baron Northington
1977
1999
Simon Arthur, 4th Baron Glenarthur
1976
1999
William Astor, 4th Viscount Astor
1972
1999
Patrick Stopford, 9th Earl of Courtown
Baron Salterford
1975
1999
William Peel, 3rd Earl Peel Joined Crossbenchers in 2006 on becoming Lord Chamberlain [ 7]
1973
1999
Colin Moynihan, 4th Baron Moynihan
1997
1999
John Attlee, 3rd Earl Attlee
1992
1999
Giles Goschen, 4th Viscount Goschen
1986
1999
James Graham, 8th Duke of Montrose
1992
1999
Robin Bridgeman, 3rd Viscount Bridgeman
1982
1999
James Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay
1989
1999
Ralph Palmer, 12th Baron Lucas
1991
1999
James Dugdale, 2nd Baron Crathorne
1977
1999
Richard Fletcher-Vane, 2nd Baron Inglewood Left party to become non-affiliated in 2018 [ 8]
1989
1999
Francis Baring, 6th Baron Northbrook
1990
1999
Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury
1980
1999
Edward Foljambe, 5th Earl of Liverpool
1969
1999
Arthur Gore, 9th Earl of Arran
Baron Sudley
1983
1999
Alexander Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee
1983
1999
Hugh Trenchard, 3rd Viscount Trenchard (left the house in 1999)
1987
27 May 2004
Nicholas Vivian, 6th Baron Vivian
Rupert Ponsonby, 7th Baron de Mauley
2005
14 March 2005
Hugh Lawson, 6th Baron Burnham
Charles Cathcart, 7th Earl Cathcart (left the house in 1999)
1999
7 March 2007
Charles Stourton, 26th Baron Mowbray
James Younger, 5th Viscount Younger of Leckie
2010
23 June 2010
David Carnegie, 14th Earl of Northesk
Henry Ashton, 4th Baron Ashton of Hyde
2011
20 July 2011
Michael Onslow, 7th Earl of Onslow
Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington Left party to become non-affiliated in 2019, joined Crossbenches 2020 [ 9]
2015
16 September 2015
Arthur Lawson Johnston, 3rd Baron Luke
Nicholas Fairfax, 14th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (left the house in 1999)
1977
24 November 2015
Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu
James Bethell, 5th Baron Bethell
2018
18 July 2018
Robin Dixon, 3rd Baron Glentoran
Guy Mansfield, 6th Baron Sandhurst
2021
14 June 2021
John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne
Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester
2021
14 June 2021
Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham
Sebastian Grigg, 4th Baron Altrincham
2021
14 June 2021
Malcolm Mitchell-Thomson, 3rd Baron Selsdon
Ian Macpherson, 3rd Baron Strathcarron
2022
8 February 2022
Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley
Jonathan Berry, 5th Viscount Camrose
2022
29 March 2022
Robin Cayzer, 3rd Baron Rotherwick
Philip Remnant, 4th Baron Remnant
2022
5 July 2022
Ivon Moore-Brabazon, 3rd Baron Brabazon of Tara
Clifton Wrottesley, 6th Baron Wrottesley (left the house in 1999)
1993
5 July 2022
Roger Swinfen Eady, 3rd Baron Swinfen
Edward Howard, 8th Earl of Effingham
2022
20 October 2022
John Astor, 3rd Baron Astor of Hever
Mark Cubitt, 5th Baron Ashcombe
2022
20 October 2022
David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home
Deceased Conservative peers
Resigned Conservative peers
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Removed Conservative peers
Pursuant to section 2 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Elected by the Crossbencher hereditary peers
Sitting Crossbench peers
Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords
Qualifying title, if different from highest title
First sat
Elected
Replacing
Valerian Freyberg, 3rd Baron Freyberg
1993
1999
Anthony St John, 22nd Baron St John of Bletso
1978
1999
Alan Brooke, 3rd Viscount Brookeborough
1987
1999
Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll
1978
1999
Janric Craig, 3rd Viscount Craigavon
1974
1999
John Anderson, 3rd Viscount Waverley
1990
1999
Ambrose Greenway, 4th Baron Greenway
1975
1999
Peter St Clair-Erskine, 7th Earl of Rosslyn
1979
1999
John Dalrymple, 14th Earl of Stair (left the house in 1999)
1996
22 May 2008
Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth
Alastair Bruce, 5th Baron Aberdare
2009
15 July 2009
Christopher Bathurst, 3rd Viscount Bledisloe
Nicholas Trench, 9th Earl of Clancarty
Viscount Clancarty
1995
23 June 2010
Mark Colville, 4th Viscount Colville of Culross
John Lytton, 5th Earl of Lytton (left the house in 1999)
1985
11 May 2011
John Monson, 11th Baron Monson
Godfrey Bewicke-Copley, 7th Baron Cromwell (left the house in 1999)
1982
8 April 2014
John Wilson, 2nd Baron Moran
Simon Russell, 3rd Baron Russell of Liverpool (left the house in 1999)
1981
9 December 2014
Michael Allenby, 3rd Viscount Allenby
John Seymour, 19th Duke of Somerset (left the house in 1999)
1984
9 December 2014
David Lytton Cobbold, 2nd Baron Cobbold
Roualeyn Hovell-Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce, 9th Baron Thurlow
2015
3 February 2015
Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley
Charles Hay, 16th Earl of Kinnoull
2015
3 February 2015
Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun
Jeffrey Evans, 4th Baron Mountevans
2015
6 July 2015
William Lloyd George, 3rd Viscount Tenby
Patrick Lawrence, 5th Baron Trevethin
2015
20 October 2015
David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork
Baron Boyle of Marston
2016
12 July 2016
Thomas Bridges, 2nd Baron Bridges
Richard Gilbey, 12th Baron Vaux of Harrowden
2017
19 July 2017
Robert Walpole, 10th Baron Walpole
Charles Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon
2018
4 July 2018
Edward Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley
Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington Became Lord Great Chamberlain in 2022
2018
28 November 2018
Christopher James, 5th Baron Northbourne
Daniel Mosley, 4th Baron Ravensdale
2019
27 March 2019
John Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim
John Pakington, 7th Baron Hampton
2022
19 October 2022
Francis Hare, 6th Earl of Listowel
James Meston, 3rd Baron Meston (left the house in 1999)
1984
19 September 2023
Adrian Palmer, 4th Baron Palmer
Miles Russell, 28th Baron de Clifford
2023
19 September 2023
Raymond Jolliffe, 5th Baron Hylton
Deceased Crossbench peers
Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords
First sat
Elected
Replacing
Died
Ziki Robertson, 11th Baroness Wharton
1990
1999
15 May 2000
Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon
1987
1999
10 September 2001
Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange
1986
1999
11 March 2005
Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth (Entered the house under the Peerage Act 1963 )
1963
1999
24 February 2008
Christopher Bathurst, 3rd Viscount Bledisloe
1979
1999
12 May 2009
Mark Colville, 4th Viscount Colville of Culross
1954
1999
8 April 2010
John Monson, 11th Baron Monson
1958
1999
12 February 2011
John Wilson, 2nd Baron Moran
1977
1999
14 February 2014
Michael Allenby, 3rd Viscount Allenby
1984
1999
3 October 2014
John Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim
1970
1999
12 January 2019
Adrian Palmer, 4th Baron Palmer
1990
1999
10 July 2023
Resigned Crossbench peers
Pursuant to section 1 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Hereditary peer and title used in the Lords
Qualifying title, if different from highest title
First sat
Elected
Replacing
Resigned
Died
David Lytton Cobbold, 2nd Baron Cobbold (left the house in 1999)
1987
15 October 2000
Ziki Robertson, 11th Baroness Wharton
13 October 2014
10 May 2022
Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley (left the house in 1999)
1987
11 September 2001
Henry Herbert, 7th Earl of Carnarvon
17 November 2014
21 February 2016
Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun
1979
1999
12 December 2014
3 September 2024
William Lloyd George, 3rd Viscount Tenby
1983
1999
1 May 2015
12 June 2023
David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (left the house in 1999)
1976
28 June 2005
Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange
23 July 2015
8 January 2020
Robert Walpole, 10th Baron Walpole
1989
1999
13 June 2017
8 May 2021
Edward Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley
1976
1999
9 May 2018
16 June 2021
Christopher James, 5th Baron Northbourne
1982
1999
4 September 2018
8 September 2019
Francis Hare, 6th Earl of Listowel
Baron Hare
1997
1999
21 July 2022
Raymond Jolliffe, 5th Baron Hylton
1968
1999
27 July 2023
John Montagu, 11th Earl of Sandwich
1995
1999
20 May 2024
Removed Crossbench peers
Pursuant to section 2 of House of Lords Reform Act 2014
Elected by the Labour hereditary peers
Sitting Labour peers
Deceased Labour peers
Elected by the Liberal Democrats hereditary peers
Sitting Liberal Democrats peers
Deceased Liberal Democrats peers
Current party composition
As of July 2024[update] , the party affiliations of the elected hereditary peers are as follows:[ 13]
One additional hereditary peer is an ex officio member of the Lords: Duke of Norfolk (Earl Marshal).
See also
References