High Peak Liberal DemocratsThe chances of the government being defeated on plans to cut tax credits in the Lords next week have risen markedly after the Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, instructed his peers to vote for the fatal motion to block them.
The Lib Dem peer Lord Kirkwood had been planning to move a motion of regret, which would have amounted to a request for the government to reconsider its plans.
But Farron's intervention on Tuesday means the government is now likely to be defeated, requiring ministers to restart the process in the Commons via a new statutory instrument. A Lib Dem spokesman said Farron had instructed a heavy whip on his peers to back the fatal motion....Opposition peers recognise that they can defeat the government repeatedly and almost at will as long as Lib Dem peers unite with Labour and a few crossbenchers to defeat the Tories.
By custom and practice, the peers do not challenge financial measures, but Farron has been arguing that the specific tax credits measure was not in the Conservative party manifesto and was even specifically denied by David Cameron in a leaders' TV election debate...
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