The House of Lords is severely restricted in it’s ability to veto bills from the Commons, which is probably due to the strong conservative and therefore non-representative element residing within it. However, it now comprises mostly appointed members who are life peers, such as Lady Margaret Thatcher, as opposed to hereditary, which include some of the old British Aristocracy names with fancy titles like Viscount. The difference is that a life peer loses their title when they die, and is not inherited by offspring. But the Lords are not completely powerless as they can and do introduce bills, though not as many as the Commons. I guess their primary role is as a debating forum, and checks and balances for legislation.
