House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]
Debate between Viscount Trenchard and Viscount Astor(6 years, 2 months ago)
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Viscount Trenchard
I do not for one minute dispute that. I do not mean to insult my noble friend in any way. I do not believe that he thinks for one minute that I was being insulting. My noble friend knows well that I have great regard for him for the contribution he makes. Indeed, this is one of the very few matters on which I do not share his opinion.
Viscount Astor
Perhaps I can help my noble friend. I voted against the Government for the first time as a rather junior Member of this House, and the following week the Prime Minister rang me up and I joined the Government Whips’ Office. It was a form of promotion.
Viscount Trenchard
If I may continue with the quotation:
“Mr Blair’s justification is his dislike of the hereditary principle although he sees no contradiction in also parading himself”—