The new Labour government's plans to reform the House of Lords passed its second reading on Tuesday.

Proposals to make changes to the upper chamber are likely to face significant opposition at later stages though, not least when they go to the Lords themselves.

Here's what you need to know about the debate.

What is the House of Lords?

The House of Lords is the upper house of the UK Parliament, where legislation passed by Westminster is scrutinised and can be amended or rejected.

While it cannot prevent a bill being passed it can delay it for up to a year, and the government will generally make amendments to a proposed law if it's been rejected by the Lords rather than try to force it through.

An example would be the Internal Market Bill relating to the Brexit agreement with the EU.

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That was rejected multiple times by the Lords, eventually passing when the government made changes relating to devolved administrations and removed parts of the bill which would be in breach of international law.

Why is it controversial?

Many democracies have an upper house which scrutinises legislation.

In the U.S a bill goes through both the House of Representatives and the Senate where it must win majority support before being signed into law by the President.

Similar systems exist in France, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada and Poland.

Where the UK differs is that its upper chamber, the House of Lords, is not elected by the people.

Michelle Mone in the House of LordsMichelle Mone in the House of Lords (Image: PA) Peers are generally appointed for life by the government of the day, and there's no limit to the size of the assembly.

With over 800 Lords and Ladies, it's the only upper house in the world to be larger than its lower house, and the second largest legislative chamber in the world after the Chinese national congress.

There is, in theory at least, nothing to stop a government simply flooding the Lords with members of their own party to try and ensure an easier time getting legislation passed.

As of 2022, 72.1% of peers were male, 70% received a private education and the average age was 71.

Around 6% of members come from a minority ethnic background compared to 13% of the population.

Furthermore, there are up to 26 seats reserved for bishops of the Church of England, known as Lords Spiritual.

The Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church are not given such representation, nor are spiritual leaders of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism or any other religion.

What is Labour planning to do?

Sir Keir Starmer initially pledged to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with an elected upper chamber but has dropped that commitment.

The Prime Minister previously called the Lords "undemocratic and indefensible" and had also pledged to end the right to vote in the chamber at 80 but that pledge has also been dropped.

The government is now focusing only on getting rid of the 92 peers who inherited their titles.

The House of Lords in 2019The House of Lords in 2019 (Image: Roger Harris)

Sitting hereditary peers include Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington, and Daniel Mosley, 4th Baron Ravensdale, the great-grandson of Oswald Mosley, the founder of the British Union of Fascists.

Lesotho is the only other country in the world to have hereditary members in its parliament.

Will the reforms pass?

It's hard to say - this isn't the first time reform has been attempted.

The Liberal government elected in 1910 pledged to replace the Lords with an elected chamber but had to settle instead for limits on its power and the creation of life peerages instead of hereditary ones.

Harold Wilson's Labour government sought to enact reforms including phasing out life peerages, reducing the number of bishops, and limiting voting rights based on age and attendance but did not proceed with its plans.

Tony Blair sought to remove hereditary peers but compromised on allowing 92 in the face of opposition.

The former Prime Minister created close to 300 new peerages during his first eight years in office, some of whom had made substantial donations to the Labour Party.

Mr Blair, like Mr Starmer, had a huge majority when he sought to carry out his reforms and was only able to pass a much watered down version - it remains to be seen if the current occupant of 10 Downing Street will fare any better.

What has been said?

Ahead of Tuesday's second reading, the SNP introduced an amendment calling for the House of Lords to be scrapped.

Pete Wishart said during the debate: "What we have down there is an embarrassment and an unreformable laughing stock, a plaything of prime ministers and the personification of a dying establishment that represents another age.

"That is why I am so proud that my party will never put anybody in that red leather-upholstered, gold-plated Narnia."

Sir Oliver Dowden, the shadow deputy Prime Minister said: "The checks and balances of the Lords, its tried and tested conventions, work.”