A chance for the Lords to justify their existence
The EU’s Lisbon Treaty was handled scandalously in the Commons, says Daniel Hannan. Now the Upper House has the chance to play its ancestral role as the conscience of the nation
The early signs, though, are not encouraging. Although the Tory leader, Lord Strathclyde, is behaving impeccably, Labour peers are being told to damn their principles and stick to their party. Liberal Democrats — who one might have expected to stop digging after the fiasco of their split in the Commons — are taking out their shovels again and proposing to burrow further, this time switching to an outright vote against the referendum. And even among the Conservative and cross-bench peers, some of those on Brussels pensions are wavering.
Such manoeuvring represents everything that people dislike about politics: the elevation of partisan calculation over principle, the gap between government and the governed, the contempt for public opinion, the ease with which pledges are abandoned. The Lords are supposed to be an antidote to all these things. That is why people put up with them. If they instead become part of the problem, their legitimacy will evaporate.
‘Lemmings led by lapdogs’, remarked Lord Pearson of Rannoch, then a Conservative peer but who now takes the UKIP whip, when the Tory hereditaries were bussed in to vote down a referendum on Maastricht in 1993. He could see what they couldn’t: that, by their votes, they had alienated their natural constituency and hastened their abolition. History may be about to repeat itself.
Last month, Jack Straw suggested replacing the Lords with a 400-strong senate. In all parties, and among voters at large, there is a preference for an elected Upper House. But few people feel especially strongly about the issue. As long as the Lords are seen to be carrying out their duties properly, they will be left unmolested. But if they ostentatiously flick two liver-spotted fingers at the electorate, the mood will turn.
‘If it is not necessary to change, it is necessary not to change,’ said the third Viscount Falkland. Quite so. But if the House of Lords won’t stand up for the country against a low alliance of party politicians, the case for change will become overwhelming.
More articles from: Daniel Hannan | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
Imagine the terror of the Chinese officials
David TangDavid Tang reflects on his visits to Beijing in the run-up to the Games, where Western expertise has been harnessed to the ruthless efficiency of China’s government machine
Nudge, nudge: meet the Cameroons’ new guru
James ForsythThe economist Richard Thaler — a favourite of the Cameron and Obama camps — talks to James Forsyth about the power of ‘nudging’: small transformative acts of persuasion
The cross-party consensus on welfare reform echoes the Gingrich–Clinton revolution
Fraser NelsonFraser Nelson on the coming political week
The Falun Gong show that meek can be provocative
Lloyd EvansLloyd Evans joins the dissident movement in a ritual exercise near the Chinese Embassy. He is unsettled to find himself understanding why China’s rulers get so paranoid about them
Big Brother versus YouTube: let the Beijing Games commence
Mark LeonardMark Leonard, Britain’s pre-eminent analyst of modern China, says the Olympic genie is out of the bottle. The prospect of global scrutiny has actually increased repression as the authorities try to stamp out dissent. But digital technology is impossible to police
The Law Lords are right to resist the government
Lord Lloyd of BerwickLord Lloyd of Berwick says that the government’s emergency legislation to overturn their lordships’ ruling on witness anonymity is part of a ‘gradual usurpation’ of our liberties
The great box-ticker takes charge
Richard NorthedgeRichard Northedge on the FSA's new chairman
Ireland’s EU referendum will be no walkover
Dan HannanDaniel Hannan says that the vote on the Lisbon Treaty is not in the bag for the ‘Yes’ camp, which has no argument to offer. Meanwhile, the ‘No’ campaign is gaining ground every day
C’mon Cherie: even Goering stuck up a bit for Hitler
Rod LiddleRod Liddle says it is no surprise that Gordon Brown has ended up as surly and suspicious as he has: the memoirs of John Prescott, Lord Levy and Cherie Blair are appalling acts of treachery and avarice
Cameron gets ready for No. 10 — and Boris must wait his turn
Fraser NelsonDavid Cameron talks to Fraser Nelson about his local election triumphs, admits that he is not going to ‘agree on everything’ with the new Mayor of London, and says Boris should join the queue to become PM after him
Latest blog posts
sponsored links
Sky - Official Site
Build your own Sky package online. Sky TV, Broadband & Talk only £16.
Sky TV, Broadband & Talk from £16 a Month
Sky TV & free broadband packages available from £16 a month. Choose from a standard free sky box, sky plus or sky hd.
Sky - Official Site
Build your own Sky package online. Sky TV, Broadband & Talk only £16.
Sky TV, Broadband & Talk from £16 a Month
Sky TV & free broadband packages available from £16 a month. Choose from a standard free sky box, sky plus...
ROME CENTRE
PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique
City Breaks. ROME and PARIS
ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.romanreference.com and www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.
Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).
Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs! You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2008 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
Robert Wydell
April 7th, 2008 9:03amWhy are our soldiers fighting for democracy in Iraq while the three major parties in Brish politics are conspiring to deny the democratic right of a referendum to us?
Serf
April 7th, 2008 12:28pmTony Blair's only aim was to castrate the Lords anyway. Shame that we have no indepedent court to protect our constitution.
James
April 11th, 2008 10:19pmIt is necessary for the House of Lords to change. It's appauling that aristocrats and bishops get automatic places in our upper chamber. Throw the lot out and let's elect them ourselves.