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'playing with fire'

House of Lords should be scrapped if it blocks Brexit bill says Lord Norman Lamont

Tory peer and former Chancellor hits out as Labour and Lib Dem peers admitted they would try to amend the bill

LORD Lamont yesterday warned the House of Lords will not “deserve to survive” if they stand in the way of Brexit.

The Tory peer hit again out as Labour and Lib Dem peers admitted they would try to amend the Brexit Bill – handing the PM the power to trigger EU divorce talks - when it goes before them next week.

 Lord Lamont yesterday warned the House of Lords will not “deserve to survive” if they stand in the way of Brexit
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Lord Lamont yesterday warned the House of Lords will not “deserve to survive” if they stand in the way of BrexitCredit: Getty Images

Lib Dem Lords leader Lord Newby said his party wanted a Commons vote on the final Brexit bill before they would approve the bill.

 Lord Lamont said: “The House of Lords are playing with fire, I don’t think they’ll deserve to survive if they wreck this.”
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Lord Lamont said: “The House of Lords are playing with fire, I don’t think they’ll deserve to survive if they wreck this.”Credit: Getty Images

Former Tory Chancellor Lord Lamont said: “The motive of some of the people coming forward with these amendments is to get embroiled in a time wasting, time delaying exercise.”

 Lib Dem Lords leader Lord Newby said his party wanted a Commons vote on the final Brexit bill before they would approve the bill
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Lib Dem Lords leader Lord Newby said his party wanted a Commons vote on the final Brexit bill before they would approve the billCredit: Getty Images

He added that perceived blocking by the Upper House would cause “outrage” and could prompt calls for reform. “The House of Lords are playing with fire, I don’t think they’ll deserve to survive if they wreck this.”

The comments echo those he made in the Sun on Sunday last week, when he said of the Lords: "I would be sorry to see it go. In many ways it does a fine job. But if it over-reaches itself, its days will deservedly be numbered."

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