Protesters shouted: “Lords out people in.”
Protesters disrupted a sitting of the House of Lords earlier today, as they demanded an end to the unelected chamber.
Clips of the moment shared online show people in the public gallery throwing leaflets and chanting: “Lords out people in.” Pieces of paper were also thrown down as Peers looked on.
Labour peer Baroness Twycross was debating the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ day, when shouts were heard from the gallery.
The Evening Standard reported: “Protester Lucy Porter, 50, a primary school teacher from Leeds, told the PA news agency she was “campaigning for a house of the people”.
“On the Lords, she said: “It’s a symbol of everything that’s outdated.
“We don’t have a functioning democracy in this country.”
The leaflets had the words: “Never mind the Lords here’s the House of People”, written on them. On the other side it stated: “Aristocrats and oligarchs: Out. Posties, mums, nurses and neighbours: In.
“Replace the House of Lords to save the UK.”
The protesters said they were acting on behalf of a group known as Assemble, an organisation that campaigns for the Lords to be abolished and replaced by a citizens’ assembly.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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