Lib Dems To Use House Of Lords Majority – To Defeat Moves To Extend Right To Buy

The Liberal Democrats will use their strength as part of an anti-Tory majority in the House of Lords to defeat the Government’s moves to sell off housing-association properties. After losing all but eight of its MPs at the general election, the party will switch its Parliamentary campaigning focus to the Lords as it attempts to block a range of contentious legislation. The tactic will enrage the Conservatives, who won a narrow overall Commons majority in May but are vastly outnumbered in the unelected Lords, with 223 peers compared with 211 for Labour and 101 for the Liberal Democrats. In his first conference speech as leader, Mr Farron will commit the party to exploiting its large presence in the Lords to scupper the housing sell-off. Read more on the Independent website.