Exclusive:Labour MP calls for 'serious debate' on abolition of House of Lords

Euan Stainbank said it was a “disgrace” that Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers were obstructing Labour's workers’ rights law.

The Lords voted down the bill earlier this week over opposition to the lifting of the compensation cap for unfair dismissal.

It means the Employment Rights Bill will return to the House of Commons on Monday and will be back in the Lords by Tuesday, with further sittings potentially needed to pass the bill by Christmas.

Falkirk MP Mr Stainbank said: "The obstructions of the Tory/Lib Dem coalition in the House of Lords to the elected Labour Government's Employment Rights Bill is a disgrace.

“The disappointing concession on the manifesto commitment to day one rights against unfair dismissal was made on the basis that the rest of the package would now go through quickly.

“The Lords have indicated they don't accept this and are callously bargaining with the sick pay and paternity pay of millions of ordinary British people.

“Due to this obstruction, as I said in the House last week it is time for a serious debate on their abolition.”

Lifting the unfair dismissal cap was part of a deal made by the government with businesses and trade unions after the UK Government ditched its day-one unfair dismissal policy.

The cap is are currently the lower of 52 weeks’ pay or £118,223.

On Wednesday, peers roundly rejected the latest Government attempt to break the deadlock, backing by 244 votes to 220 a Tory call to force a review of the existing compensation limits.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer has nominated 25 new Labour peers to the Lords earlier this week, in a bid overturn the Tory majority in the upper chamber.

A Downing Street spokesperson said on Thursday that the UK Government remains committed to overhaul the Lords and replace it with “an alternative second chamber that is more representative of the nations and regions.”

First, it plans to abolish the right of the remaining 91 hereditary peers to sit in the Lords.

Further reforms expected in the new year include plans to remove peers who do not attend often enough, and to require members to retire at the end of the Parliament in which they have their 80th birthday.

The Prime Minister pledged to abolish the House of Lords in 2022, but the Labour manifesto last year instead vowed to reform the chamber instead.

The SNP has a long-term opposition to the House of Lords and has never had a peer.

The House of Lords is unable to prevent bills from becoming law, except in very limited circumstances. But it can delay bills for up to one year.

The upper chamber’s job is mostly to scrutinise legislation.

It has 823 sitting members, well more than 650 MPs in the House Commons.

There are well more Tory peers than Labour - with the Conservatives on 282 and Labour on 210. There are 75 Lib Dems and 177 Crossbenchers. There are also 26 Church of England bishops which sit in the Lords.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We value the good work that many peers do but are already in the process of reforming the House of Lords.

“Removing the right of the remaining hereditary peers is the first step in wider reform to the second chamber."