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Proceeding contribution from Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Liberal Democrat) in the House of Lords on Monday, 17 January 2011. It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL) and Debate on bill on Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.


Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for giving way. When I came to this House about 16 years ago, it was completely unbalanced because the hereditary Peers were overwhelmingly Conservative and Mrs Thatcher had done nothing to reform the system. I was in one of the two opposition parties, with the noble Baroness next to me, sitting where she is now sitting. We never used the filibuster, even though there was an absurd and unfair built-in majority. In those days, no one on the Labour or Liberal Democrat Benches would have dreamt of doing so. I say that because it was a time when this House really was undemocratic and unfair in the worst possible way.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
724 c299-300 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Boundary commissions Constituency size Constituencies Electoral register House of Lords composition Members Peers Reform
Legislation
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk