On Thursday the debate on Lord Cromer's amendments to the
Money Bill Clause was continued. As on the previous day, the Government showed, as we have always contended they would show, a ruthless determination to have their whole pound of flesh. They would make no more concessions on the second than on the first amendment. In vain did Lord Lansdowne point out that there was nothing in the Bill to show when and how the intimation should be made that a Bill was a Money Bill, Lord Cromer insist that they were drifting fast into Single-Chamber Government, and Lord Midleton point out that if a Money Bill included great schemes such as the Uganda Railway the House of Lords ought to have the power to discuss it. When Lord Selborne had invited the Government to tell the House what they meant on the question of tacking, Lord Haldane would only say that the House of Lords was trying to take away from the House of Commons the control of the Budget. Ultimately Lord Cromer's amendment was carried by a majority of 144 (192-48). Later, on Clause II., Lord Haldane even refused to give the pledge asked of him that there should be no further reduction of the modest powers of the Lords until there was a General Election.
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