In a strongly worded statement, Rt Hon The Lord Rhodes of Deepdale, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, criticised the House of Lords for maintaining what he described as an “absolute veto” over decisions of the House of Commons.The row centres on The Big Beautiful Reform Bill 2026, which sought to restore the traditional three readings system for legislation introduced following the King’s Speech.
Peers voted to preserve the existing arrangements, effectively retaining their current delaying powers. Lord Rhodes said the government had engaged constructively with senior figures in the Lords, including the Earl of Lothian, Lord Sheringham of Calcutta and the Duke of Atholl, during negotiations on the bill’s provisions.
“This was simply not the government attempting to ride roughshod over the Lords,” he said. “We do value their opinions. They, however, have made it clear they don’t value the government’s or those of the House of Commons.”