Nick Clegg's Naivety 'Ruthlessly Exposed' Over Lords Reform, Claim Labour

Nick Clegg's Naivety 'Ruthlessly Exposed' Over Lords Reform, Claim Labour

Labour has said the reported failure of Nick Clegg's plans to reform the House of Lords has exposed the Lib Dem leader's "naivety".

On Friday morning it was reported that in face of opposition from Tory backbenchers, David Cameron is set to announce the death of plans to replace the unelected chamber with a 400-member 80% elected one.

Labour's shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said the deputy prime minster should stop blaming Labour for blocking the Lords Reform Bill.

"We warned Nick Clegg that the real roadblock to reforming the Lords was the Tory Party - something we learned the hard way from our 13 years in Government," he said.

"Given today’s reports, it’s a pity that Nick Clegg simply dismissed our warnings and instead chose to lecture Labour.

"Only now is it dawning on Nick Clegg that it is his coalition partner that is tooth-and-nail opposed to reforming and modernising our second chamber.

"Nick Clegg marched his MPs through the voting lobbies in support of the harsh and unfair policies of this Tory-led Government in anticipation of receiving Lords reform in return.

"But now Nick Clegg may end up with nothing, ruthlessly exposing his naivety. Millions of people struggling through the tough economic times will question his political priorities."

The Labour Party irritated the Lib Dems when it decided to side with Tory rebels against the Bill's programme motion, a government measure that would have limited the amount of time MPs could debate the bill and prevent opponents from delaying its passage.

And while Labour ensured the Bill got its second reading in the Commons, allowing it to progress to the next stage of parliamentary scrutiny, it has insisted that there should be a referendum - something the government has opposed.

"Labour has always been committed to reform of the Lords. Our track record over thirteen years is simply unmatched," Khan.

"Our manifesto argued for 100 per cent elected with the proposals put to the people in a referendum.

"That's why we did the principled thing of voting in favour at second reading, despite the view that in the current economic climate reform of the Lords wouldn’t be our priority”.

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