 50 years since the Life Peerages Act opened the doors of the House of Lords to women.
On this day fifty years ago, the Life Peerage Act was passed, which allowed the creation of life peers along with hereditary ones. This meant that women as well as men could take their seats in the House of Lords. There was broad opposition to the Act, however, with one Lord declaring: ‘This is a house of men, a House of Lords. We do not wish this to become a House of Lords and Ladies’. But fifty years on, the House has 147 female members and women constitute a third of the frontbenchers. Baroness Hayman, the Lords’ first ever female Speaker, joins Jenni to chart this transformation. |
