What are the prerequisites to become a canidate for the British House of Lords?

Fosse4

We appear to have an edited comment The rules of becoming a member changed last year - there were a number of families who by being a member of the family automatically got a seat in the house - this has now changed - The membership of the Lords is still under debate. May 26 02, 7:19 PM

Barrow boy

The House of Lords is fundamentally a political institution. The number of peers who are there because of their luck of being born into the right family has been drastically slashed under a 1999 Act and there are now only 92 of them. Their long term future must be in doubt. There are also 26 archbishops and bishops who are qualified through their position. There are senior judges who sit in the House of Lords in a judicial capacity, but the remaining several hundred life peers have been awarded their seats for something akin to 'lifetime achievement'. Sometimes this may be achievement in commerce, but usually it's from politics. But then it is a political institution. All is (badly) explained on http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld/ldinfo/ldanal.htm May 27 02, 8:23 AM