“Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed”*…
… and sometimes not even then.
Let the binging begin…
… at House of Carbs.
* Mark Twain
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As we treat ourselves to the BBC’s original, which is at least as good, we might recall that it was on this date in 2007 that the British House of Commons voted ten times on a variety of reforms for the upper chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords. Outright abolition, a wholly appointed house, a 20% elected house, a 40% elected house, a 50% elected house and a 60% elected house were all defeated in turn. But the vote for an 80% elected chamber carried by 305 votes to 267, and the vote for a wholly elected chamber was won by an even greater margin: 337 to 224. Significantly, this last vote, won by an overall majority of MPs, had political authority.
Still, this was only an “indicative” vote; the House of Lords rejected the proposal.
The House of Lords in session