Filibustering dinosaurs

The chance of the country getting a referendum on the alternative vote system was held up in the Lords this week. The key point of contention is in the title of the bill discussed- ‘The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill’ groups together reforms to the way we vote for MPs along with the number and borders of constituencies. At the time of writing, the bill was still not settled, although the front bench members were talking again.

Labour Peers object to the two issues being bundled into one piece of legislation, as they believe the government’s plans to reduce the number of MPs would hit Labour disproportionately. However they say that if the bill were to be split, then the part concerning the change to the voting system could be passed much more quickly. Following clear messages from Cameron and Clegg that they were determined the bill would pass, it appeared that the Labour Peers would back down especially if modest concessions could be made on the size or number of constituencies.

Many Labour MPs approve of the alternative vote system, but object to the grouping with the change in constituencies and for some reason having the vote on the same day as local elections The government argues it has paired the two issues together because both are about how MPs are elected to the House. A more cynical view would be that as the issues were linked in the coalition agreement they are both required to pass simultaneously for political purposes in holding the coalition together.

The Peers have rejected claims that they are filibustering the bill- wasting time until it is too late to pass the bill with time to organise the vote for May 5th. The accusations clearly had foundation especially after one Peer spent quite a while discussing the history of the Venerable Bede- a monk from the 7th century.

Nick Clegg, amongst others, accused Ed Milliband of tactically using his “dinosaurs” in the Lords to prevent the public from deciding whether to change the voting system- another allegation that was vehemently denied.

It could also be said that some Peers are holding the bill up to show the government they won’t just be a rubber stamp when it comes to changes to parliament – setting up the inevitable defiance for when Lib Dem hopes for a predominantly elected Lords make it as far.