'Embarrassment': The push to ban House of Lords peers from the Scottish Parliament

The party says the House of Lords is an “antidemocratic, archaic institution” that is a “source of embarrassment” to the whole of the UK.

MSPs at Holyrood are considering the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill, which would overhaul the laws affecting Scottish Parliament elections and local council elections north of the Border.

Amongst the changes would be allowing foreign nationals to stand for election, banning those convicted of intimidating election staff from standing for election, changes to party campaign budgets, and introducing the power to delay elections in an emergency.

However, Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer has lodged an amendment to this Bill, calling for all members of the House of Lords to be disqualified from serving in the Scottish Parliament.

Peers are banned from voting in general elections and are not allowed to stand for election in the House of Commons - but are allowed to stand for election for Holyrood.

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Mr Greer said: “The House of Lords is an antidemocratic and archaic institution.

“It should be a source of embarrassment to the UK that more than half of Westminster’s lawmakers are completely unelected and unaccountable, including some who quite clearly paid for their peerages with dodgy donations to one party or another.

“The only way you should get to decide on the laws of this country is via a fair election. Every MSP is democratically elected, but there is a clear conflict between this and sitting in the unelected Lords.

“If a peer wants to serve in Holyrood, they should resign their membership of the Lords first.”

Peers from the House of Lords have previously been elected to Holyrood - Lord Foulkes served as a Lothians MSP between 2007 and 2011, and Lord Watson was the MSP for Glasgow Cathcart from 1999 to 2005.

Labour MSP Katy Clark took a leave of absence from the House of Lords in 2021 after being elected to the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Greer said: “A handful of peers have been elected as MSPs since the Scottish Parliament was re-established. Most have done a fantastic job of advocating for their constituents and representing their communities.

“This amendment is not about individuals, it is about democracy and accountability. I hope that MSPs across all parties will put those principles first by supporting my amendment.”