5 FEBRUARY 1910, Page 2

No doubt it may be said that in spite of

this the Election figures also show a majority against the House of Lords Very likely ; but this has nothing to do with approval or dis- approval of a particular set of financial measures, but is solely due to the fact that the Nationalists regard, and rightly regard, the House of Lords as an obstacle to Home-rule, and are therefore in favour of its virtual abolition by the abolition of the veto. On the matter upon which the House of Lords insisted on taking the opinion of the people of the United Kingdom—i.e., the Budget—any impartial Speaker must declare : "The 'Noes' have it."