Lords Clash Expected

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31520, 7 November 1967, Page 17

Lords Clash Expected

a rubber stamp second chamber and that a year’s delay gives a government time for second thoughts on controversial legislation. They question Mr Wilson’s motives, asserting that a trumped up “peers versus the people” cry is aimed at distracting the people’s minds from the Government’s difficulties at home and abroad. Observers close to Mr Wilson say however, he wants to streamline Parliament and that he considers a chamber based primarily on hereditary has no place in modern Britain. They also believe he wants to avoid possible wrecking tactics by the Lords to any controversial legislation introduced in the last session before the next General Elec-

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 6. A bitter constitutional clash is expected to result from Mr Wilson’s decision to curb the powers of the House of Lords. His intention to take away the ability of a peer to vote by right of birth—the hereditary principle will not give much trouble. It is universally regarded as a feudal anachronism. But the decision to cut the one-year delaying power of the Upper Chamber—possibly to a few months—is a different matter. The Opposition contends that the public does not want

tion, due in 1971. The House of Lords, which has its origins in Saxon and Norman times, has always been anathema to the Labour Party. Otier proposals are that peers should be selected or elected or sit by right of office or region. Mr Wilson has not disclosed his hand in advance of forthcoming all-party meetings, except to say that reforms will go through whatever the Opposition says. The House of Lords consists of 1045 members, though only about 300 attend debates.

They include Royal Princes, two Anglican archbishops, 24 bishops, dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts and harons, peeresses and baronesses.