WESTM NSTER HAUL
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Lord Davies of Leek must be kicking himself. There he was, all in favour of a Liberal amendment to the Transport Bill which would have made county councils consult parishes when drawing up transport plans.
As he explained: "Rural areas should be consulted. What is happening to British democracy? Indeed what is happening to local democracy?"
Good, stirring stuff which must have warmed the heart of every country Peer present. And when Lord Davies warned: "I hope the Government will take notice of this amendment," it Was a wonder that their rural Lordships did not break into "For he's a jolly good fellow."
Having done his duty nobly, Lord Davies decided that enough was enough.
"There are so many Members on the Opposition Benches that if they want to press this to a Division they can win without my vote," he explained. "Therefore, I shall not walk in the Lobby with them."
What more could be expected from a former Labour MP and Parliamentary Private Secretary to Harold Wilson when he was Prime Minister?
No, that's not really fair. Lord Clifford of Chudleigh, who owns to no party allegiance, supported the amendment moved by Viscount Simon but — probably with good reason — did not appear among the Contents.
While Baroness Phillips, widow of Labour Party Secretary Morgan Phillips and a doughty fighter for the ordinary man and woman, seemed in favour of the change — but did not vote.
So it was that the massed ranks of Liberals, Tories and Independents found themselves thwarted by Labour, supported by non-party Members and a couple of Tories. Events in the Upper House do not always go the way its enemies believe.
There were other mysteries, too. For instance did the villagers of Kingsteign ton, during the drought of two years ago, suffer, or did they use the overflowing reservoir spurned by the water author ities? Lord Clifford, on whose land the water supply was to be found, mentioned it, but did not say what happened.
Then again, 'how long ago did the villagers of Flash and Longnor mint ille gal money? Lord Davies of Leek, who once represented these enterprising countrymen, kept pretty quiet about that. Probably it was in the days when money was worth forging!