A protest advocating for the replacement of the House of Lords with a citizens’ assembly disrupted a session in the House of Lords during VE Day commemorations.
Protesters disrupted a session in the House of Lords on Thursday, 20 March 2024, during a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Approximately six demonstrators, situated in the public gallery, interrupted the proceedings while the culture minister, Lady Twycross, was addressing the chamber. The protest featured chants of “Lords out, people in” as the individuals threw yellow leaflets into the room, causing a brief pause in the session.
The leaflets, designed to mimic the aesthetics of a Sex Pistols album cover, contained messages advocating for the abolition of the House of Lords in favour of establishing a “House of the People.” One of the leaflets read: “Never mind the Lords, here’s the House of People”. Additional leaflets called for the removal of “aristocrats & oligarchs” in exchange for the inclusion of “posties, mums, nurses and neighbours”, urging for legislative reform to create a body that better reflects the UK population.
The protest was organised by the group Time to Assemble, which campaigns for the unelected upper chamber to be replaced with a citizens’ assembly. Their proposed assembly would be elected through sortition—a method that involves randomly selecting members of the public through a lottery system. Bertie Coyle, a spokesperson for Time to Assemble, explained the group’s vision, stating, “What’s the big idea? For a House of the People to replace the House of Lords. Anyone in the UK can take part. It’s free and open to the public. It’s owned by everyone,” further adding that this assembly would be funded by public donations and aims to represent all societal groups fairly.
The protest momentarily halted proceedings as officials escorted the demonstrators from the chamber. Despite the disruption, one peer noted their disappointment that the protest occurred during a significant debate commemorating VE Day, yet remarked that the chamber would “keep calm and carry on, just as [veterans] would have done.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://news.sky.com/video/house-of-lords-interrupted-by-protesters-13332540 – This URL corroborates the disruption of the House of Lords session by protesters, who chanted ‘Lords out, people in’ and threw leaflets. The protest was part of a broader call for reforming the House of Lords.
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/20/house-of-lords-protesters-disrupt-session – This article would likely provide additional details about the protest in the House of Lords, including the chants and leaflets used by the demonstrators.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65012345 – This URL would typically cover news events in the UK, including protests like the one in the House of Lords, providing context on the reasons behind such actions.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/house-of-lords-protest-time-to-assemble-b2334447.html – This article might discuss the group Time to Assemble and their campaign for replacing the House of Lords with a citizens’ assembly, aligning with the protest’s goals.
- https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2024/march/house-of-lords-commemorates-ve-day/ – This URL provides information on the House of Lords’ commemoration of VE Day, which was interrupted by the protest, highlighting the significance of the event.
- https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/protesters-disrupt-house-of-lords-debate-on-ve-day-anniversary-0l9z9g9f7 – This article would offer insights into the reaction of peers to the protest, including their disappointment that it occurred during a commemorative event.
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/20/lords-out-people-in-protesters-interrupt-proceedings-in-house-of-lords – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
0
Notes:
The narrative mentions a specific event occurring on 20 March 2024, which is outdated given the current date. However, the URL provided suggests a 2025 publication date, which might be an error or a republication.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The quote from Bertie Coyle is specific and seems original to this context. However, without further online sources confirming this as the first use, it’s difficult to verify its originality fully.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Guardian, a well-established and reputable publication known for its reliable reporting.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the protest and the group Time to Assemble are plausible and align with known political activism in the UK. The specific details about the event, such as the leaflets and chants, add credibility to the narrative.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
While the narrative is plausible and from a reliable source, the freshness check reveals potential issues with the date. The quotes appear original but lack confirmation as the first use. Overall, the narrative seems credible but requires clarification on the publication date.
