2021 Lord Speaker election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2021 Lord Speaker election

| country = United Kingdom

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2016 Lord Speaker election

| previous_year = 2016

| election_date = 13–15 April 2021

| next_election =

| next_year = 2026

| 1blank = {{nowrap|First-round vote}}

| 2blank = Percentage

| 3blank = {{nowrap|Second-round vote}}

| 4blank = Percentage

| candidate1 = The Lord McFall of Alcluith

| image1 = 150x150px

| party1 = Non-affiliated

| 1data1 = 241

| 2data1 = 37.7%

| 3data1 = 336

| 4data1 = 55.5%

| candidate2 = The Lord Alderdice

| image2 = 150x150px

| party2 = Liberal Democrats (UK)

| 1data2 = 227

| 2data2 = 35.5%

| 3data2 = 269

| 4data2 = 44.5%

| candidate3 = The Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

| image3 = 150x150px

| party3 = Labour Party (UK)

| 1data3 = 171

| 2data3 = 26.8%

| 3data3 = Eliminated

| 4data3 = Eliminated

| title = Lord Speaker

| before_election = The Lord Fowler

| after_election = The Lord McFall of Alcluith

}}

An election for Lord Speaker, the presiding officer of the House of Lords, was held from 13 to 15 April 2021. The incumbent, Lord Fowler, announced on 25 February that he would resign from the office in late April, about four months before the end of his first term.{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/315/career|title=Lord Fowler – Parliamentary career|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=1 February 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2021/february/lord-speaker-announces-he-is-stepping-down/|title=Lord Speaker announces he is stepping down|publisher=UK Parliament|date=25 February 2021|accessdate=25 February 2021}}

Election procedure and timetable

Members of the House of Lords who wished to stand for election were required to have a proposer and a seconder. The alternative vote system was used in the election and all members who had taken the oath in the current parliament by 25 March 2021 and were not on leave of absence, disqualified or suspended from the House were eligible to stand and to vote. The election was held remotely by postal and online voting.{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/contentassets/9734568644c84258b970185f3c76f833/lords-notice-election-of-lord-speaker-2021-final.pdf|title=Election of the Lord Speaker|publisher=House of Lords|date=4 March 2021|accessdate=7 March 2021}}

Timetable was as follows:{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/lord-speaker/the-role-of-lord-speaker/election-of-the-lord-speaker-2021/|title=Election of the Lord Speaker 2021|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=14 April 2021}}

Friday 19 March (12 noon) – Candidate registration and postal voting registration deadline
Tuesday 23 March – List of candidates published
Thursday 25 March (2 p.m.) – First virtual hustings event
Monday 29 March – Ballot papers sent to members requesting a postal vote
Tuesday 13 April (10 a.m.) – Online voting opened
Tuesday 13 April (10 a.m.) – Second virtual hustings event{{cite web|url=https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/events/house-of-lords-speaker-hustings-2021|title=House of Lords Speaker Hustings 2021|publisher=Hansard Society|accessdate=14 April 2021}}
Thursday 15 April (5 p.m.) – Online voting closed and deadline for postal votes to be returned
Wednesday 21 April – Results announced and Queen's approval notified
Thursday 29 April – Old Lord Speaker presiding for the last time (prorogation){{cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2021-04-29/debates/6CE90594-AC97-40BC-BB94-7CC01A3E3C96/ArrangementOfBusiness|title=House of Lords: Arrangement of Business|publisher=UK Parliament|date=29 April 2021|accessdate=30 April 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2021/april/parliaments-working-year-comes-to-a-close-2019-21-session-ends/|title=Parliament's working year comes to a close: 2019-21 session ends|publisher=UK Parliament|date=29 April 2021|accessdate=30 April 2021}}
Saturday 1 May – New Lord Speaker took office
Tuesday 11 May – New Lord Speaker presiding for the first time (state opening){{cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2021-05-11/debates/E03C6DE3-722B-403D-ABD3-FBF440FE1545/ArrangementOfBusiness|title=House of Lords: Arrangement of Business|publisher=UK Parliament|date=11 May 2021|accessdate=12 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2021/april/state-opening-of-parliament-2021/|title=State Opening of Parliament 2021|publisher=UK Parliament|date=11 May 2021|accessdate=12 May 2021}}

Candidates

The following members of the House were registered as candidates:{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/lord-speaker/the-role-of-lord-speaker/election-of-the-lord-speaker-2021/candidates-for-the-2021-lord-speaker-election/#mce_temp_url#|title=Candidates for the 2021 Lord Speaker election|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=23 March 2021}}

The Lord Alderdice (Liberal Democrat){{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/3478/career|title=Parliamentary career for Lord Alderdice|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=23 March 2021}}
The Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour){{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4159/career|title=Parliamentary career for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=23 March 2021}}
The Lord McFall of Alcluith (Non-affiliated){{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4148/career|title=Parliamentary career for Lord McFall of Alcluith|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=23 March 2021}}

Result

{{STV Election box begin4

|title=Election of Lord Speaker, 13–15 April 2021

{{Cite web |url=https://www.parliament.uk/contentassets/9734568644c84258b970185f3c76f833/results-lord-speaker-2021.pdf |title=Lord Speaker election: result |publisher=House of Lords |date=21 April 2021 |accessdate=21 April 2021}}

|numcounts = 2

}}

{{STV Election box candidate4

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = {{Y}} Lord McFall of Alcluith

|count1 = 241

|count2 = 336

}}

{{STV Election box candidate4

|party = Liberal Democrats (UK)

|candidate = Lord Alderdice

|count1 = 227