The House of Lords is set to adopt a revised dress code that encourages members to wear business attire when participating in debates or votes, reflecting ongoing discussions about the relevance of traditional dress standards. The proposed guidelines, expected to be published later this year, leave it to individual peers to decide whether to wear ties, a garment whose place in modern business dress has become increasingly questioned.

The update follows recognition that there is currently no formal dress code for most members of the Lords, aside from bishops, who are expected to wear their ceremonial robes while in the chamber, except when seated on the steps of the Throne.

The procedure and privileges committee, chaired by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede, introduced the new guidelines. He emphasized the importance of upholding the chamber’s dignity and compared the standard to dress expectations in magistrates’ courts. While there is no explicit requirement to wear a tie, Lord Ponsonby suggested the principle of dressing appropriately for the setting should guide members’ choices.

The debate revealed differing views among peers. Lord Davies of Brixton argued that ties have become largely obsolete in professional settings outside specific sectors such as estate agency and funeral services. Speaking against a strict tie mandate, he described the term "business attire" as vague but interpreted it to mean clothing typical of financial districts like the City of London or Canary Wharf, where ties are reportedly becoming rare.

Conversely, Conservative peer Lord Wolfson of Tredegar, a barrister, expressed frustration with the relaxed approach. Wearing a blue diamond-patterned tie during the debate, he noted that he would not appear in a courtroom without a tie and viewed the parliamentary chamber with similar formality. Supporting the traditional standard, Tory peer Baroness Meyer cited practices in other legislatures, including those in the United States, France, and the European Union, where men typically wear ties and women wear suits as a sign of respect.

The revised dress code reflects a broader balancing act between respecting parliamentary traditions and acknowledging evolving workplace attire norms. The daily allowance available to peers for attendance, currently set at £371, provides an additional backdrop to discussions about professionalism and decorum in the chamber.