Parliament Act 1911

Samuel Begg: Passing of the Parliament Bill in the House of Lords, 1911

A century ago today, His Britannic Majesty George V gave Royal Assent to what was to be known as Parliament Act 1911.

With this act the power of the House of Lords were essentially reduced to that of suspensive veto, with the exception of a bill to extend the life of Parliament.

The leaders of the opposisition to the bill in the House of Lords and the House of Commons were the 1^st Earl of Halsbury and George Wyndham respectively.

Hardinge Stanley Giffard, 1^st Earl of Halsbury PC, QC (1823-1921)

The Right Honourable George Wyndham PC (1863-1913)

The Battle of Naseby

June 366 years ago – on the 14^th in the old calendar, 24^th in the new – the Battle of Naseby was fought.

The Battle of Naseby

The Parliamentarian New Model Army defeated the Royalist Army.

Memorial at the battlefield in Naseby

It was a decisive victory in Oliver Cromwell's rise to power, the Cromwell tyranny, and the Commonwealth of England.

Not to be amused by. Cromwell's rule is not to be amused by.

Balance of power may be a good thing, but that is certainly not what we have now.

The English Civil War may be seen as the first step on a road to an absolute democracy, an absolute, omnipotent House of Commons.

Not to be amused by.