Lord Lansdowne replied that the Peers had to think not
only of the privileges of the Commons but of their own. There was a tendency, he declared, to restrict those rights in a manner very dangerous to the public interest. No one contested their right to reject a money Bill, but there was a very con- siderable difference of opinion as to amendments to a money Bill, " particularly if it was not a money Bill pure and simple, but one of those Bills which, dealing with financial questions, also involve important political matters." Lord Lansdowne went on to cite a number of precedents and statements showing what he held to be the true position. Lord Halsbury, who had a difficult part to play in view of past statements of his own, urged that at any rate the Lords had the right of discussion, and that it was time that they should insist on it freely, and not be entirely controlled by the Ministry for the time being.
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