The Lords Has No Business Blocking Legislation

The House of Lords seem to be waving their privileged sabres in today’s newspapers about the proposed Queen’s Speech.  Peers are apparently threatening to ‘block’ measures being proposed in the Queen’s Speech.  They have NO BUSINESS to do any such thing and should be very careful about using such language.

It is remarkable that the Lords is using such language – given that it has zero democratic or political legitimacy.  Indeed, it normally reserves this kind of language for the only time when the Upper House gets generally excited – the preservation of their own sports and pursuits.  It sets a dangerous constitutional principle for the unelected, undemocratic House of Lords to be threatening to “block” and “veto” legislation proposed by an elected Government and supported by a democratic chamber.

I dislike this Government and I dislike much of this Government’s putative programme.  But the House of Lords should remember its constitutional position.  It is an amending chamber and NOT a blocking chamber.  If the people’s chamber supports legislation, the unelected chamber should not stand in its way.

Reform of this anachronistic institution is long overdue.  This Government has failed to produce radical reform of the chamber and I hope that the next Government will take up the challenge.   The Lords should be careful about abusing their constitutional position – however much they dislike what the elected House is proposing.

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