The debate upon the Second Reading of Lord Lansdowne's Reconstitution
Bill was concluded in the House of Lords on Monday. During the earlier part of the sitting the Bill was criticized by several Opposition Peers, amongst whom was the Duke of Marlborough, who pronounced the scheme out of sympathy with modern democratic thought. Lord Haldane, who summed up the Government's attitude, described the tone of the debate as having been throughout "one of sombre acquiescence, punctuated every now and again by cries of pain." Although the particular proposal might not appeal to everyone, there was general agreement that the time had come for a great step forward to be made. Lord Haldane went on to announce that the Government could not accept the measure as a substitute for the Parliament Bill, which they regarded as an indispensable preliminary to a proper settlement of the constitution of the House of Lords. They did not intend, however, to divide against the Bill. Lord Haldane ended by asking, " Who knows but that both sides may not yet co-operate in carrying out a work of this great magnitude? " After Lord Lansdowne had replied, the Second Reading was agreed to without a division.
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