Top Conservative figures including David Cameron, Michael Heseltine, and Philip Hammond are part of a group of over 100 peers facing potential removal from the House of Lords if proposed new attendance regulations are sanctioned.
Records from the House of Lords show that Cameron, Heseltine, and Hammond, along with Ruth Davidson and Zac Goldsmith, have attended fewer than 20% of sitting days in the last two parliamentary sessions. The new recommendations stipulate that members must attend at least 20% of sitting days to remain in the House of Lords.
A review by the Sunday Mirror identified other prominent peers with attendance rates below 20%, such as Alan Sugar, Ian Botham, and Evgeny Lebedev, who were present for only 1% of recorded sittings between November 2023 and February 2026.
Former minister Lord George Foulkes expressed strong support for the proposed changes, emphasizing the importance of active participation by members in the legislative process.
Detailed analysis of attendance data revealed that Cameron, Heseltine, and Hammond attended the House of Lords on only a fraction of available days. Cameron’s attendance may have been affected by his prior ministerial responsibilities. Other peers, including Ruth Davidson and Zac Goldsmith, also fell short of the proposed attendance threshold.
The House of Lords Retirement and Participation Committee recommended raising the attendance requirement to 20% of sitting days and implementing a retirement age of 80 for all members. These measures aim to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the House of Lords.
The government is reviewing these recommendations as part of its commitment to reform the House of Lords, with a decision expected later this year.