Member

This Government’s decision to finally lance the boil and remove the remaining hereditary peers is long overdue, but it should be no surprise whatsoever that we face exactly the same kind of resistance now that our predecessors faced 26 years ago. First, the Conservatives try to defeat the Bill; when that fails, they try to compromise. Back then, it was, “Well, just keep a few hereditary peers. Phase them out so the change isn’t too sudden.” Now they say, “You must keep the hereditary peers. Phase them out so the change isn’t too sudden.” Somehow what was only ever intended as an interim solution is being replaced by another interim solution. We have had 26 years to phase out the hereditary peers, and they are still there.