By the way...even if Blair could get all of his Labour back bench behind him, the delays built into the Parliament Act mean that he would be facing a general election before the bill passed, and it would become an issue in the election.

All the polls show that the electorate really wonders what the hell's going on w/the Reform Bill, and I don't think he'd want to risk it.

If they wanted, the House of Lords could keep it in select committee for two years.