2021 Lord Speaker election

An election for Lord Speaker, the presiding officer of the House of Lords, was held from 13 to 15 April 2021. The incumbent, Lord Fowler, announced on 25 February that he would resign from the office in late April, about four months before the end of his first term.[1][2]

2021 Lord Speaker election
13–15 April 2021
  First party Second party Third party
 
Candidate The Lord McFall of Alcluith The Lord Alderdice The Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
Party Non-affiliated Liberal Democrats Labour
First-round vote 241 227 171
Percentage 37.7% 35.5% 26.8%
Second-round vote 336 269 Eliminated
Percentage 55.5% 44.5% Eliminated
Lord Speaker before election

The Lord Fowler

 Elected Lord Speaker

The Lord McFall of Alcluith

Election procedure and timetable

Members of the House of Lords who wished to stand for election were required to have a proposer and a seconder. The alternative vote system was used in the election and all members who had taken the oath in the current parliament by 25 March 2021 and were not on leave of absence, disqualified or suspended from the House were eligible to stand and to vote. The election was held remotely by postal and online voting.[3]

Timetable is as follows:[3][4]

  • Friday 19 March (12 noon) – Candidate registration and postal voting registration deadline
  • Tuesday 23 March – List of candidates published
  • Thursday 25 March (2 p.m.) – First virtual hustings event
  • Monday 29 March – Ballot papers sent to members requesting a postal vote
  • Tuesday 13 April (10 a.m.) – Online voting opened
  • Tuesday 13 April (10 a.m.) – Second virtual hustings event[5]
  • Thursday 15 April (5 p.m.) – Online voting closed and deadline for postal votes to be returned
  • Wednesday 21 April – Results announced and Queen's approval notified
  • Thursday 29 April – Old Lord Speaker presiding for the last time (prorogation)[6][7]
  • Saturday 1 May – New Lord Speaker took office
  • Tuesday 11 May – New Lord Speaker presiding for the first time (state opening)[8][9]

Candidates

The following members of the House were registered as candidates:[10]

Result
Election of Lord Speaker, 13–15 April 2021[14]
PartyCandidateCount 1Count 2
Independent Green tickY Lord McFall of Alcluith 241 336
Liberal Democrats Lord Alderdice 227 269
Labour Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town 171 -
Electorate: 784   Valid: 639   Quota: 320   Turnout: 639

References
  1. "Lord Fowler – Parliamentary career". UK Parliament. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  2. "Lord Speaker announces he is stepping down". UK Parliament. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  3. "Election of the Lord Speaker" (PDF). House of Lords. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  4. "Election of the Lord Speaker 2021". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  5. "House of Lords Speaker Hustings 2021". Hansard Society. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  6. "House of Lords: Arrangement of Business". UK Parliament. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  7. "Parliament's working year comes to a close: 2019-21 session ends". UK Parliament. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  8. "House of Lords: Arrangement of Business". UK Parliament. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  9. "State Opening of Parliament 2021". UK Parliament. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  10. "Candidates for the 2021 Lord Speaker election". UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  11. "Parliamentary career for Lord Alderdice". UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  12. "Parliamentary career for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town". UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  13. "Parliamentary career for Lord McFall of Alcluith". UK Parliament. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  14. "Lord Speaker election: result" (PDF). House of Lords. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.


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