House of Lords: Scottish Referendum

Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville Excerpts

Wednesday 1st February 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, that is a good point: when all the parties are united, there is no room for much opposition. However, if a Bill is published after the gracious Speech, I am sure that there will be very effective debate within Parliament, because, as I have said before, very often the differences on House of Lords reform exist within the parties rather than between them.

[Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville]

My Lords—

[Lord Low of Dalston]

My Lords—

[Baroness Anelay of St Johns]

My Lords, it sounds as though my noble friend Lord Brooke has the Floor just at the moment.

[Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville]

My Lords, to revert to an earlier answer, why does my noble friend think that the world is not going to come to an end if a Bill to abolish the House of Lords is introduced into your Lordships' House?

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, I am always wary of my noble friend winning this sort of competition to speak in the House. I rather wish that I had taken the question from the noble Lord, Lord Low.