Shooting the Fox
In one were to judge the importance of a con- troversy by its effective life span, then the future of the House of Lords would rate as far and away the biggest issue in British politics this century. For fifty years it has been debated with single- minded obstinacy on both sides. The objections of the Radicals remain today as stern as ever. And the reforming zeal of the Conservatives is still earnestly expressed on every possible occasion.
Some innocent people have found it hard to understand why nothing has been done. Of course the reason is very simple. The Radicals all want to abolish the place--but not just now—and the Tory peers find discussion about reform more attractive than reform itself. So both sides have hit upon the brilliant idea of carrying on the debate as a sort of national pastime. It is all like a gigantic game of chess. There you can see (in black and white) the pieces as they move gallantly in the great campaign. Occasionally one side may capture a knight or lose a bishop, but no blood is spilled and at the end of each day's battle every- one can relax confident that he has done his duty.
Of course it is part of the essence of this con- troversy that no new argument should be thought 111). There is a timelessness about it all which Must not be disturbed by new evidence. After all these years you can't chaive the rules. Anyone Who tries to do so is generall regarded as a spoil- sport of the worst sort—a troublemaker.
Dr. Bromhead now stands convicted of this offence. For he has written the best and most useful book about the House of Lords that has appeared for years. It is a brilliant and penetrat- ing analysis, and it will therefore give no pleasure to either side. It destroys almost all those precious assertions on which the game depends. Try it for Yourself. Start with the table of contents. Every chapter, and every section of every chapter, will stir in your mind some dogma that you have long accepted unquestioningly. Write it down on a Piece of paper and then turn to the chapter in question. There you will surely find detailed evidence to controvert it.
Dr. Bromhead lays bare the crude motives that lie beyond creation policy. He reveals that the active peers are party men. (How sad it is to find that those 'independently minded' non-party peers Play so small a part in the House.) But the Radi- cals should not cheer too soon. How will they react when they hear that the backwoodsmen never come? Of course Tory majorities are assured by the `casuals' who turn up when it's necessary or amusing. But the hordes of real wild men don't even bother to take the oath and can be ignored.
We are told that the bishops and law lords are politically sterile these days and that the great Military commanders are almost always on leave. The civil servants retain their discretion into retirement. We discover that even without the fear of the whips (and the threats of the electorate) most active peers prefer to vote the way of their party. No Liberal peers turn up for divisions often enough for any one of them to qualify for inclu-
sion in the class of active members. Then, of course, conies the evidence showing that the
Labour Government made far more use of the House of Lords than the Conservatives. We get proof that the Commons do much more detailed work on legislation than the Lords.
How can we now bury this controversy decently and rapidly? Dr. Bromhead drops a hint when he says, 'To discuss the contemporary House of Lords in terms of conflict and delay is really to present a very misleading picture of its role in the modern state.' In an understanding of this sen- tence lies a complete answer to this question.
Just take away all power of delay from the House of Lords and, hey presto ! the problem is solved. Then, no matter how it is made up (or what biological qualifications remain for admis- sion), no one will want to change it. It will be respected, influential and more popular than the Beefeaters. Tourists will flock to see it. TV will ask to broadcast its debates. Recruits will queue for the honour of serving. Dr. Bromhead has un- doubtedly shot our fox. But we must just try not to bear him a grudge, for he has also shown us how it can be made into a most decorative fur to drape round the shoulders of the Mother of Parliaments.
ANTHONY WEDGWOOD BENN
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