ABSTRACT
In this surge of anti-government activity, however principled, the pre-1999 House of Lords was sowing the seeds of its own destruction. Although it had no power of veto over Bills and, in the final analysis, a determined government could usually force the Lords to give way over amendments, nevertheless, a refusal by the Lords to pass government legislation unamended was capable of causing severe disruption to the legislative programme, as well as more general embarrassment to the government.
