Traitors who betray 17.4million voters

AS peers inflict their 14th successive defeat on the Government’s Brexit legislation, even many Remain voters are appalled by the way the Upper House is over-stepping its powers.

For though most Remainer peers peddle the fiction that they are only performing their duties as a revising chamber, their aim is to overturn the 2016 referendum.

Look at the amendments so far. These are not adjustments in line with the Lords’ constitutional role of ironing out legislative anomalies. They are bids to derail Brexit.

Take the vote to rule out a ‘no-deal’ withdrawal, banning negotiators from walking out on lousy EU terms.

This robs of us of the most powerful card in Britain’s hand and removes any incentive for Brussels concessions. It could also postpone Brexit indefinitely. Then there are amendments aimed at keeping us in the customs union and the single market – the latter passed by 29 votes on Tuesday night. Both represent assaults on the will of the electorate.

Remainers seek to justify their conduct by saying voters were too ill-informed to understand Brexit. Others claim there’s no contradiction between honouring the referendum result and remaining in the customs union and single market.

Yet as the Europhiles are aware, both sides in the campaign spelt out that withdrawing from the EU would mean leaving its two principle institutions.

The referendum was authorised by a Sovereign Act of Parliament, passed by a majority of six to one in the Commons, with politicians on both sides agreeing the result would be binding.

In 2016, 17.4million voted Leave, giving the biggest democratic mandate for any party or policy in British history on a turnout of more than 72 per cent.

Parliament then began the two-year countdown to Brexit – this time by 498 votes to 114 in the Commons.

The pretence that the Lords is defending the constitution is a cynical sham.

So who are these wreckers who believe their views should carry more weight than those of 17.4million of their countrymen?

If they were distinguished elder statesmen or giants of science or business, their opinions might command respect.

But after years of being stuffed to the rafters with third-raters, this bloated legislative chamber has become an object of scorn and derision. Here sit around 100 Lib Dems, one in eight of the total number of peers, representing a party so at odds with public opinion that it boasts less than 2 per cent of elected MPs.

Others owe their ermine to no greater distinction than having shared a flat with Tony Blair or putting cash in party coffers.

At this crucial juncture in our history, the House of Lords has violated its constitutional role. In so doing, it has surely signed its own death warrant.

If the Tories are wise, they will enter the next election on a pledge to abolish the Lords in its present form, clear the rabble who have abused the trust placed in them – and ask a Royal Commission to come up with proposals for an elected second chamber.