Mr. Redmond, who spoke next, said that his party had
supported the Government heart and soul at the General Election because they understood that a pledge had been given as to the abolition of the Lords' veto, and becausti they regarded that pledge as tantamount to a promise of Home. rule. At the Albert Hall the Prime Minister had said that the Liberal Party would not assume office, and hold office, unless they could secure the safeguards which experience showed to be necessary for the utility and honour of the party of progress. He had certainly understood that to mean that the Prime Minister would not take office unless he could rely on the Royal prerogative for passing a Veto Bill. Now it appeared that this interpretation of the Albert Hall speech was wrong. It was imperative that the veto scheme should be produced at once. If the Resolutions were sent to the Lords and were rejected, then the Government could go to the King for a guarantee. To pass the Budget before knowing whether a Veto Bill could be passed would be a mere waste of time. Let the Government give reasonable assurances that they could carry their Veto Bill this year, and the Nationalists would vote for the Budget. That price they were willing to pay, but they were not going to pay it for nothing.
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