House of Lords needs more experts, says speaker, as former PMs line up allies

Exclusive: John McFall says upper house is in danger of falling out of sync', amid controversy over Johnson and Truss choices

The House of Lords needs more independent, expert peers, the lord speaker has warned, amid growing controversy over plans by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss to pack the chamber with dozens of political allies and donors.

John McFall stressed he was making no direct criticism of recent peerage choices, given his neutral role, but he told the Guardian that the upper house was in danger of becoming out of sync" with its balance of legislators.