We are in an interesting situation. All three parties had Lords Reform on their election manifesto and yet there seems to be some problems with getting it passed into law.
The Conservative party have a significant number of back benchers and junior ministers voting against this. I do not know how they will deal with this situation but to openly defy their party in such numbers (91 at the last count) is surely a matter for concern.
The Labour party voted in favour of it at the second time of asking but they are unhappy that the Government have introduced a timetable for the discussion of this. The Labour party are obviously not worried about the bill being 'talked out' where so much discussion takes place there is not sufficient time to make the bill law.
Finally, the Liberal Democrats, who introduced this bill have the felling that the partnership with the Conservative party may be damaged if David Cameron and the party elite cannot keep their back benchers in line.
I do remember one senior back bencher standing up in Parliament stating that they should ditch the coalition and have another general election. Do they seriously think that they have a chance of winning an outright majority? They have not had the smoothest of rides since taking power, do they think they can go it alone? There is no doubt in my mind that the Liberal Democrats will be very lucky to hang on to what they have got now, and that is speaking as a Lib Dem voter.
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