Speaker of Lords warns against wholly elected Upper House of Parliament

Keir Starmer has backed plans to abolish unelected chamber

Labour announced its desire to scrap the Lords earlier this week (PA Archive)

The Speaker of the House of Lords will today warn that a wholly elected second chamber could threaten parliament’s ability to deliver good and effective legislation.

Lord McFall of Alcluith’s warning comes just days after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer gave his backing to a slimmed down and “democratically legitimate” upper house.

Sir Keir described the current unelected House as “indefensible” and said he hoped to be able to implement plans for reform drawn up by former prime minister Gordon Brown within the first term of a Labour government.