Roslyn
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2006
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Well that isn't fair either. If you are going to change, make it gender neutral and oldest inherits like they did for the succession.
I will allow Lord Trefgarne, who moved the Bill, to explain:
"There are two other points that I would like to make. First, a number of your Lordships asked me why I do not propose that hereditary peerages simply descend through the oldest child, come what may. Speaking personally, I would have no particular objection to such an arrangement. But the plain fact is that that proposition has been before Parliament on several occasions and has on each of those occasions failed to attract your Lordships’ support. I therefore propose a more modest arrangement. Modernisation of the hereditary peerage should now begin and it is for that reason that I bring this modest proposal before your Lordships. Thus it is that the purpose of the Bill is to authorise succession through the female line in those circumstances where the peerage would otherwise disappear. I hope that your Lordships will agree that this proposition is right and proper in the present circumstances and will agree to the Bill."
This is from the Second Reading Speech, a link to which I included in Post No. 2795 above, to which I refer you. The Speech is worth reading.