Lords: Feisty by-Election of Unelected Undecided

Hopi Sen tells of a House of Lords (Hereditory for the use of) By-Election. There have been quite a few of those over the years since Hereditories were limited to 92 seats in the Upper House. As aged Noble Lords and Ladies among the 92 die these unelected scions duke it out for re-elevation.

This time the deceased was a cross bencher. Officially there are 29 of those among the excluded hereditories. But there were 33 candidates. And just 26 voted, two thirds of them getting nul poins as they aren't so coarse as to vote for themselves. The Earl of Stair (who apparently has a spare title to his name) triumphed. Perhaps the spare titles account for the discrepancies?

Or did four (or more) officially aligned peers mischieviously chance their arm as putative future cross benchers?

My pal, Radio Lloydy co-conspirator, and near neighbour Baron Monkswell (above) is still on hearse watch for the next couple of Labour hereditories to pop their clogs, or kick the bouquet. Although he sometimes says different. He placed 93rd and out by a whisker in the original blood bath.