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Author Ballinger, Chris, 1977-

Title The House of Lords 1911-2011 : a century of non-reform / Chris Ballinger
Published Oxford ; Portland, Or. : Hart Pub., 2012

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Description 1 online resource (xi, 249 pages)
Series Hart studies in constitutional law ; v. 1
Hart studies in constitutional law ; v. 1.
Contents Introduction. Reform and non-reform -- Veto limitation over reform : the Parliament Act 1911 -- "The battle is over" : House of Lords reform, 1917-1945 -- A pre-emptive strike : the Parliament Act 1949 -- Diluting the hereditary principle? : The Life Peerages Act 1958 -- "The Wedgwood Benn enabling bill" : the Peerage Act 1963 -- Adding to Wilson's strife : the Inter-Party Conference and the Parliament (No 2) Bill (1968-69) -- Stage one of two? : The House of Lords Act 1999 -- The long stage two : the Wakeham Commission and beyond -- Reasons for reform and non-reform
Summary "House of Lords reform is often characterised as unfinished business: a riddle that has been left unanswered since 1911. But rarely can an unanswered riddle have had so many answers offered, even though few have been accepted; indeed, when Viscount Cave was invited in the mid-1920s to lead a Cabinet committee on Lords reform, he complained of finding 'the ground covered by an embarrassing mass of proposals'. That embarrassing mass increased throughout the twentieth century. Much ink has been spilled on what should be done with the upper House of Parliament; much less ink has been expended on why reform has been so difficult to achieve. This book analyses in detail the principal attempts to reform the House of Lords. Starting with the Parliament Act of 1911 the book examines the century of non-reform that followed, drawing upon substantial archival sources, many of which have been under-utilised until now. These sources challenge many of the existing understandings of the history of House of Lords reform and the reasons for success or failure of reform attempts. The book begins by arguing against the popular idea that the 1911 Act was intended by its supporters to be a temporary measure. 'No one - peers included - should be allowed to pronounce about the future of the House of Lords without reading Chris Ballinger's authoritative, shrewd and readable account about reform attempts over the past century. He punctures several widely-held myths and claims in the current debate.' Rt Hon Peter Riddell CBE Director, Institute for Government and former Hansard Society chair 'This is at once an impeccably researched academic study, and a thoroughly readable account loaded with lessons for today's would-be Lords reformers.' Lord (David) Lipsey."--Bloomsbury Publishing
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-239) and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords -- Reform -- History -- 20th century
Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords -- Reform -- History -- 21st century
SUBJECT Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords fast
Subject Constitutional & administrative law.
POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Government -- Legislative Branch.
Legislative bodies -- Reform
Parlementen.
Staatsrecht.
Verenigd Koninkrijk van Groot-Brittanniƫ en Noord-Ierland.
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9781782250487
1782250484
1782250492
9781782250494
1472561201
9781472561206
1299090729
9781299090729