Tory peers accuse MPs of ‘treating Lords with contempt’

Senior Tories have accused MPs of treating the Lords with “contempt” over the way they dealt with the defeats inflicted by peers on the UK government’s controversial welfare reform legislation.

Former chancellor Lord Lawson of Blaby was one of three Conservative former Cabinet ministers who led calls yesterday for a rethink as anger grew in the Upper House at the Commons invoking its “financial privilege” to throw out Lords amendments.

Tory former Scotland secretary Lord Forsyth of Drumlean said there had been “a series of events which suggest the Commons, which increasingly sends legislation up here which is not properly considered, is treating this place with some contempt”.

He called for Lord Strathclyde, the Leader of the Lords, to have a “frank chat” with colleagues in the Commons on the issue.

Lord Mackay of Clashfern, the Tory former lord chancellor who led the biggest rebellion on the bill, questioned why the legislation had not been designated a so-called “money bill” – one that peers in effect cannot amend – when it was first introduced.

NICHOLAS RANDALL