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Page last updated at 10:00 GMT, Thursday, 20 January 2011

Lords 'shouldn't obstruct legislation'

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A debate on electoral reform has turned into a trial of strength as the House of Lords spent all week on this issue with no agreement yet in sight.

What is usually a place of leisurely debate has been vociferously debating the government's proposals and has been the scene of what is now resembling a filibuster.

The BBC's Norman Smith describes what has been going on inside the chamber while Lord Butler tells the Today programme the House of Lords is starting to resemble a house of elected representatives, such is the tone of the debate.

He said that the Lords should not stand in the way of pushing legislation through the Commons.


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