Top Conservative peer Lord True urges Starmer to provide Reform seats in House of Lords | EUROtoday

A senior Conservative peer has referred to as on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to grant Reform UK a voice within the House of Lords.

The enchantment comes after Reform UK chief Nigel Farage wrote to Sir Keir in August, requesting lifetime peerages for his occasion.

Lord True, the Conservative chief within the House of Lords, instructed the Daily Telegraph that Reform’s success in successful Commons seats means their “view should be heard in the upper chamber as well”.

“The beauty of this house is its complete freedom, so any person here wants to put down an amendment, that amendment must be heard,” he mentioned.

“Having someone from a party that is represented in the House of Commons, to take a detailed part in examination and to put forward that party’s point of view, I think, is a sensible principle.”

The Tory chief mentioned he had additionally referred to as for extra Labour friends within the House of Lords beneath Conservative prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss.

“Every party needs a refresh in the chamber, particularly a chamber where the average age is 70,” he mentioned.

“You must have new people coming in.”

In his letter to the prime minister, first reported by The Times in August, Mr Farage mentioned his occasion was eager to see life friends appointed to the higher home “at the earliest possible opportunity”.

“My party received over 4.1 million votes at the general election in July 2024. We have since won a large number of seats in local government, led in the national opinion polls for many months and won the only by-election of this parliament,” he mentioned.

Former Conservative life peer Malcolm Offord introduced his defection to Reform UK in December.

During a speech, Lord Offord confirmed he would hand over his place within the House of Lords as he prepares to face on the Scottish Parliament election in May.

While the prime minister has full discretion over appointments to the Lords and isn’t required by legislation to grant seats to opposition figures, it’s not unusual for leaders to ask nominations from different events.

In December, Sir Keir created 25 new Labour friends, whereas the Liberal Democrats obtained 5 and the Conservatives three.

Other minor events within the higher home embody the DUP with six seats, the UUP with three, and the Green Party and Plaid Cymru with two every.