Margaret Thatcher, prime minister of Britain for nearly 12 long, unbroken years until she resigned last year, recently denied that she was seeking a hereditary peerage in next year's honours list. She made the denial in a letter to the Times, the newspaper which earlier- published a story claiming that the Iron Lady was Interested in the title Countess Finchley. Thatcher, a well-known proponent of hard work, merit and driving on straight roads without U-turns, did not deny that she might not be averse to being made a life peer — meaning she would be a Baroness or something equally lowly and automatically have a seat in the House of Lords, but that her children would not Inherit anything (except her Dulwich home, of course).

The report and the rejoinder show that Britain's peerage business is alive and well, and that the House of Lords isn’t about to die. Although many inside and outside the UK consider Britain's unique second chamber to be rather anachronistic, given that the vast majority of its members are there by virtue of birth, the Lords still manage to provide an equally unique service to the legislative process. The House today only has a delaying power over legislation passed by the elected House of Commons, but that means it can persuade the elected politicians to reconsider a bill or segments of a particular legislation.

To some, even that power is too much since the House is not elected and therefore not representative of anybody. But the mere fact that an active and hands-on politician like Margaret Thatcher is Interested In a seat in the Lords, means one cannot call the House a waste of space or an old people’s retirement home.

Recently, the government took a significant decision and reserved seats for the leaders of the country's Jewish community. Since the Lords are going to be around some time yet, we can hope to ’ see some more such decisions to bring it in line with the needs of the times. . For Instance, along with the Bishops and Rabbis, how about reserving seals for representatives from Britain's substantial Muslim. Hindu and Sikh communities? True, the latter three do not represent distinct ethnic minorities or nations In the same way Judaism does, but It would still make the Lords more representative of existing social make-up of the UK.