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An aristocrat has won a House of Lords seat for life after winning an "outrageous" election with just 18 votes.

Daniel Mosley, an engineer whose great-grandfather was the late British Union of Fascists leader Sir Oswald Mosley, can now claim £305 a day until he dies or resigns after triumphing in a "hereditary peer by-election".

Only hereditary peers could stand in the all-male election, and only 31 hereditary peers already sitting in the Lords could vote.

The 37-year-old Lord Ravensdale won 18 votes from fellow peers in the first round after vowing to share his "expert knowledge of engineering and industry".

He said in his election statement: "I am a chartered engineer with extensive experience of international defence and nuclear energy programmes.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

"Now a project director for a leading engineering consultancy firm, I manage teams to deliver reactor engineering projects for a major nuclear client.

"A political independent, I would champion the Midlands and commit to regular attendance alongside my consultancy work; benefiting the House by maintaining my expert knowledge of engineering and industry."

But Willie Sullivan, Senior Director of the Electoral Reform Society, said given his age Lord Ravensdale could be in the House of Lords "for decades to come."

He added: "He’ll be able to claim his £305-tax-free expenses a day with no public accountability.

"The word outrageous doesn’t come close.

(Image: PA)

“While elected MPs seize control of the Brexit debate, let’s not forget that whatever happens, an unelected clique will continue to sway our laws in the House of Lords.

"Today’s hereditary ‘by-election’ is a mockery of democracy, with aristocrats continuing to rule."

It comes just days after a bid to axe hereditary peer by-elections was scuppered by hereditary peers.

Labour peer Lord Grocott, who was behind the reforms, fumed: "The cost of the by-election was £600 including VAT. I make that about £21 per vote cast."

He added: "This was the 37th by-election since the system was started... 20 years ago.

"If my bill hadn't been blocked by four peers on Friday, this by-election would thankfully have been the last by-election.

"The sooner it's made the last one the better.

"I hope the Government will take note that the overwhelming view in this house is that these ridiculous by-elections should finish."

Lord Ravensdale inherited the title after the death of his grandfather, the novelist Nicholas Mosley, in 2017, according to Cracroft's Peerage.

Nicholas Mosley's works included a 1982 biography tackling the divisive legacy of his late father, Rules of the Game.

Today's election result was a hangover from Tony Blair's bid to modernise the House of Lords.

Hereditary peers were mostly cast out in 1999 but 92 remained as a compromise.

That means when one dies or retires, there is an election to find their replacement.

But only hereditary peers can stand in that election, and only members of the House of Lords can vote.

The latest election came after the death of Viscount Slim, a hereditary peer from the Crossbench group. That meant only Crossbench peers could vote for the successor.

Lord Ravensdale could not be reached for comment.