In which year did hereditary peers lose the automatic right to participate in the House of Lords conversations?

The House of Lords is one of the two houses of Parliament in the UK, the other being the House of Commons. Historically, it included hereditary peers – people who inherited their titles and the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords. For centuries, this was just how things were. However, there was growing pressure to reform the House of Lords and make it more democratic. The Labour government, under Prime Minister Tony Blair, took action to address this. The House of Lords Act was passed in 1999, and it removed the automatic right of most hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords. This was a significant constitutional change, reducing the number of hereditary peers from over 750 to just 92. These remaining 92 hereditary peers were allowed to stay temporarily, and are elected from amongst themselves. So, while other years might seem plausible, 1999 is the specific year when this major reform took place, marking a shift towards a more appointed and less hereditary upper house.