Note 20 — Chapter VIII · FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 1907

When Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, introduced a Resolution dealing with the Veto of the House of Lords, three months afterwards, Lord Robert Cecil, introduced a Dummy Bill for the abolition of the House of Lords' Veto in order to prevent Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's motion being discussed, and thus to teach the anti-Suffragists that their own blocking tactics could be used against themselves. As Lord Robert Cecil came forward with his Bill, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, knowing what he was going to do, begged him not to introduce it, in order that the Government's Resolution might not be delayed. If Lord Robert Cecil would not agree, the Prime Minister threatened to call a sitting of the House for the next Saturday—the day which had been fixed for the King's garden party—in order to pass a special motion to allow the Government's Resolution to be proceeded with. Still Lord Robert Cecil protested that the Government must draw up the proposed Standing Order or he would insist upon introducing his Bill and Mr. Balfour supported him saying, "You can cook up a land Bill in three days, yet you cannot draft a Standing Order in three months." In the end the Government again promised to make such action as Mr. Levy's impossible, and Lord Robert Cecil withdrew his Bill, but the promise has not yet been redeemed.