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Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

We have indeed, which is why I said that my remarks will be brief. I say this in the hope that Conservative Members might rethink their opposition to the clause. It is ill considered and meretricious, but there it is. There is no mechanism by which a peer can resign from the House of Lords. The clause will set such a mechanism in place. Resignation is available in all other walks of life. We can no longer deny it to the House of Lords. There are many reasons why Members might want to resign from the House of Lords and this provision provides them with an opportunity to do so. We think that is right and fair. I hope that Members on the Opposition Benches will rethink their opposition to the clause and support it. Question put, That the clause stand part of the Bill. The Committee proceeded to a Division.