Lords must hold their nerve over ID cards - Lord McNally

1.11.22pm GMT Mon 6th Mar 2006

Lords must hold their nerve over ID cards

Ahead of tonight's vote on the ID Cards Bill in the House of Lords, Lord (Tom) McNally, Liberal Democrat Leader in the House of Lords, said "There is not a single example of the Government being denied a Bill by the Lords in recent times. Attempts to turn Lords defiance over ID Cards and Terrorism into a Peers versus People issue are entirely bogus.

"Reform of the Commons should accompany the next stage of Lords reform. A simple 'wing clipping' of Lords powers would remove one of the few Parliamentary checks and balances which exist against an already over powerful executive.

"The House of Lords should hold its nerve and insist that if it truly believes a piece of legislation is bad, it should stick to its guns and refuse to pass it."