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| Crossbench | |
|---|---|
| Name | Crossbench |
| Legislature | House of Lords |
| Type | Independent peers |
| Seats | Variable |
| Established | 20th century (informal) |
| Notable members | See section |
Crossbench
Crossbench refers to the group of independent, non-party-affiliated peers who sit apart from organized party benches in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Crossbenchers provide expertise and scrutiny distinct from the Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, and other party caucuses, participating in legislation, committee work, and debates. They are associated with appointments from bodies such as the House of Lords Appointments Commission and individuals with backgrounds in institutions like the Civil Service, British Armed Forces, Academia, and the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Crossbenchers are independent peers in the House of Lords who do not join parliamentary party groups such as the Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), Liberal Democrats (UK), Green Party of England and Wales, or Plaid Cymru. They occupy physical seats that cross the chamber between the party benches and serve on select committees including the Constitution Committee, Economic Affairs Committee, Science and Technology Committee (House of Lords), and European Union Committee. Crossbenchers often bring professional expertise from organizations such as Amnesty International, Royal Society, British Medical Association, Institute of Directors, and Royal College of Nursing, contributing to scrutiny of statutes like the Human Rights Act 1998 and debates on treaties such as the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.
The informal emergence of non-party peers dates to reforms following the Parliament Act 1911 and broader shifts after the Life Peerages Act 1958, which expanded the pool of appointed peers including experts from higher education institutions and the public health service. Earlier precedents include independent nobles and bishops in the House of Lords of the Parliament of the United Kingdom during the 19th century, and figures associated with events like the Reform Act 1832. Institutionalization increased with the creation of the House of Lords Appointments Commission and the practice of appointing crossbench life peers such as judges from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and chairs from bodies like the National Health Service.
Crossbenchers sit on benches that physically cross the chamber of the House of Lords and serve alongside hereditary peers who remain after the House of Lords Act 1999. They participate in legislative stages including Second Reading, Committee Stage, and Report Stage, and contribute to inquiries by select committees such as the International Relations and Defence Committee and the Communications and Digital Committee. Prominent institutions represented among crossbenchers include the BBC, Bank of England, Arts Council England, Royal Society of Arts, and universities like University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and University College London.
Appointments of crossbench life peers occur through several routes: recommendations by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, ministerial nominations under the Life Peerages Act 1958, resignation honours lists associated with prime ministers such as Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Rishi Sunak, and through non-partisan selections by bodies like the Judicial Appointments Commission and professional organizations including the Bar Council and Royal College of Surgeons. Eligibility often reflects careers in institutions such as the National Health Service, Metropolitan Police Service, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or academia at establishments like the University of Edinburgh and Imperial College London.
Crossbenchers typically vote independently of party whips and their voting patterns are influenced by individual backgrounds in institutions like the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Royal College of Psychiatrists, and associations including the Confederation of British Industry and Trades Union Congress. They can be pivotal on close divisions involving legislation such as the European Communities Act 1972 (historically), the Equality Act 2010, and measures related to the National Health Service Act 2006. Crossbenchers often exert influence through amendment proposals, debating expertise, and committee reports that shape government responses and private member’s bills initiated by peers from across the chamber.
Notable individuals who have sat as crossbench peers include jurists and public figures associated with institutions and events: former judges linked to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, chairs from the BBC Trust, senior civil servants from the Treasury, healthcare leaders from the National Health Service, scientists affiliated with the Royal Society, and diplomats from the Foreign Office. Examples span appointments connected to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, leadership of the Commonwealth Secretariat, chairs of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, and figures with honours such as the Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath, and Order of St Michael and St George.
Criticisms of the crossbench system intersect with broader debates over the House of Lords regarding democratic legitimacy, life peerage creation, and patronage evident in resignation honours linked to prime ministers like John Major and Tony Blair. Controversies include questions about transparency from appointments overseen by the House of Lords Appointments Commission and debates over the role of hereditary peers remaining after the House of Lords Act 1999. Commentators from media organisations such as the Guardian, Times, BBC News, and Financial Times have scrutinized appointments tied to charity trustees, lobbying connections with firms like major law firms or consultancy houses, and potential conflicts involving directors of public bodies such as the Environment Agency and UK Health Security Agency.