The Lord Chancellor announced the refusal of the Government to
accept Lord Clarendon's resolution on the ground that the Government could not possibly plunge into such legislation in the remaining months of the present Parliament—especially as the limitation of membership would be , misrepresented as an attempt by Conservatives to entrench themselves in a permanent majority. In general he felt that the election or nomina- tion of fresh members of the House of Lords for every rarliament. would destroy that continuity of legislative experience which was one of the most valuable assets of the House. Lord Clarendon's scheme, however, though it is open to several objections, comes nearer, we think, than any proposal yet made to an acceptable conception of what a reformed House of Lords should ble. Any attempt to destroy. the - Parliament Act would bring about an intense Constitutional struggle. That would be madness. In practice the Parliament Act has left the House of, X.ords with greater powers than . _ the original ounonents of the Act thought possible.,
